


Breathless

by WinterIsobel



Series: Breathless [1]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Bonding, Canon-Typical Violence, Established Relationship, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Hand Jobs, Kidnapping, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Mystery, Original Alchemy, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Torture, Sacrifice, Scars, Slow Build, Soul Bond, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-07-21 13:28:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 44,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7388890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterIsobel/pseuds/WinterIsobel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Through the threads of time<br/>A scarlet promise forged in gold<br/>The forgotten desert flower<br/>Which never whithers<br/>I bring it to you</p><p>Soulbond!AU Xerxes had soul marks and Edward finds out</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first serious attempt to write an hopefully good(?) ff.  
> I don't have a beta and I am not an English mothertongue so please forgive me.  
> I am having a lot of fun writing it. I usually destroy any attempt I make within three days, not this time lol

 

 They have been receiving reports about some men in the South still loyal to Bradley’s establishment and willing to plan a coup. According to the rumours, they were gathering supplies in large quantity. The presence of rogue alchemists among them was possible as well.

  
In the end, Fuhrer Haruko decided to send both the Flame and the Fullmetal Alchemists to take a closer look on the situation and possibly “to solve the problem as soon as possible, and no more demolished buildings, Fullmetal”.

So there they are, in the South, dealing with too high temperature and dangerous dealers. The assignment wasn’t exactly hard to complete for the two alchemists. If there were any alchemist gone into hiding, the local military would have found them soon or later, thanks to the others’ testimony. However, they found out that due to the weather conditions they had to stay in town for the night.

Roy is asking to the baker who helped them with the case in which hotel they should spend the night, when Edward shouts out:

“What the fuck, Bastard! We can rent a car somewhere and..”

“Fullmetal, as far as it concerns me, I would rather prefer not dying in a second-hand car midway to Central during the storm of the century. And I AM in charge here. We’ll stay at the…the name of the place is Aurora’s right?” looking at the baker, who nodded “..and we’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

Edward starts to swear loudly enough to actually be heard until midway to Central while following the Colonel down the street. Towards the Aurora’s.

 

 

Roy wakes up all of sudden at the sound of a suffering panting coming from the bed next to his own. “Fullmetal?” whispers. Nothing. He gets up and turns on the abat-jour to take a look. Edward is lying down on his side, turning his back to Roy’s bed, hands white with grasping the pillow and a mask of uneasiness on his face. But definitely still asleep. “Edward?” tries again.

The younger alchemist lets out a sudden gasp “N-no,n-“ starts to murmur, his breath speeding up. Roy starts to get worried.

He is used to nightmares, too. Especially after Ishval. But he never helped someone else.

He moves toward the bed, lowers down and gently grasps the alchemist’s shoulder.

“Edward”

Then, the utter chaos.

Edward jumps on the bed like if he's just been hit with fire –Roy could tell –, screaming very loudly apparently without reason. His eyes aren’t focused on the room, two ponds of pure terror replacing them. He half kicks away Roy and at the same time tumbles down the opposite side of the bed.

“Ed..” Roy is in shock as well. What the hell is going on? He goes around the bed and gets closer to the man on the floor.

Edward quickly pulls back on the floor without directly looking at Roy

“No! No.. please!”  
Roy tries to reach him again.

“Ed, it’s me, what..”

“NO!”

Roy freezes. He remains still, trying to figure out what to do and having noidea what the problem is. Two things are sure. Edward needs to focus on where he is, and somehow needs to be let untouched. So Roy kneels some meters from the younger alchemist as he whisper.

“Ok. Ok. Everything is fine”  
At least he stopped screaming.

“You are safe. I won’t touch you” he continues. Why is Edward reacting in such a way? He never saw him like this. A couple minutes passes, phased by Edward’s breath, slowing down.

“Can you tell me where are you?”  
Edward seems to focus enough to think about it.

“The hotel. There is a storm..”

“Ok. Do you recognize me?”

“Roy?”

The older man startles at that, simply because it is the first time Edward ever called him by his given name. The younger man seems to realise what just happened and brushes both hands on his face. He sights.

“Edward, what’s going on? How bad is it?” There is no way he can pretend there is no problem at all. But apparently someone else has a very different opinion about that.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I’m fine”

While talking, Edward tries to put himself together. He rearranges the ponytail, puts the metal hand on the floor and helps himself to stand up. Roy is looking at him in disbelief.

“And how am I supposed to believe that when you..”

“Fuck. Just pretend it never happened. Go back to sleep”  
Edward walks toward the bathroom but Roy insists.

“Does Alphonse know?”  
Edward stops, then speaks without turning back.

“Don’t you dare drag him into this. Never. Go back to sleep”  
Then enters the bathroom and closes the door.

 

Roy evaluates the best approach to this situation. There is something wrong with Edward and he simply can’t let it go because he is Ed, they fought together, they work arm to arm, they trust each other..  
He absolutely refuses to talk about it. But why? He can’t imagine. Well, it is true that he warned him from involving Alphonse, so maybe it was about the little brother, but by the way he was talking Roy assumes the exact contrary. Alphonse doesn’t know either.

It is unlikely but not impossible. After all, they spent almost a year apart before the Promised Day, then Alphonse’s body was restored and at the moment he is still recovering in Resembol at the Rockbells’, so it could have been possible for Edward to hide something from him.

  
Roy is under the impression this could be far worse than expected. Facing Edward with these preconditions could be counter-productive, at least. Better talk to him in the morning.  
He comes back to bed. But can’t manage to sleep that much.

 

 

He obviously underestimated the younger alchemist’s stubbornness. As soon as he gets up Edward has already left the room and when they manage to leave the hotel, Edward starts to talk to the driver without a pause and then they get on the train to Central City and there is no way to talk freely in the wagon.

However Roy cannot let the matter completely unspoken.

“This isn’t the moment, but our discussion is just postponed”

No answer from Edward, who stares at nothing outside the train speeding through the fields.


	2. Chapter 2

In the end a week passed without sign of Edward. He seems to be avoiding to report in person on purpose. He gives a call to Falman or sends telegrams. Roy needs to find him and have an actual conversation. And it is becoming harder than expected.

While drinking his coffee on the way to the office, Roy tries to remember how Edward used to behave during the last years, under his service. Edward was well known for his bad temper and a general lack of good manners. Actually, for those who actually get to know him, he lets himself show his true self. Therefore, at least among his closest friends and family he never showed any real uneasiness, whenever Hughes dragged him through the office, or Armstrong kept persecuting both Elric brothers with his _bodily_ affection – even Roy could admit some kind of awkardness thinking about that - .

Immersed in his thoughts, Roy enters the Headquarters and drops by the library to return some volumes he borrowed the previous month. Sheeska is there to welcome him.

“Good morning Colonel Mustang. I am so sorry, the desk is a mess. How can I help you?”

“I have to return these”

  
And it occurs to him that the same day he borrowed them, about a month ago, he was wandering in the library looking for them when he bumped into Edward.

 

 

_“Fullmetal, haven’t you managed to read the whole library? What are you doing here?”_

_“Just because you are a lazy bastard that doesn’t mean we all are” he grins “ Needed some rereading for a report about some stuff along the Cretan border. Boring”_

_"You will never find them by lazing about though..”Roy teases_

_“Oi! I’m not lazing about! I was just..”_

_but the words die out as soon as Sheeska’s hands land on his left arm while saying “Edward I found the books. I left them at the desk. You can borrow all of them except one. It is a first edition, a very rare edition, but you can read it here in the library as long as you want. I will keep it booked for you. I am sorry”_

_But Edward is staring at her with wide eyes and his mouth half-open.  
She lets him go. “Is it okay? I am sorry but I really can’t let you borrow it. If the boss finds out I’m gonna be in serious troubles and..”_

_Edward shouts his mouth, clenches his fists then answers.  
“No Sheeska..I don’t..I mean, yes…I’ll read it another time. Need to go now. See you.”_

_Then he leaves them alone. Sheeska seems unhappy so Roy asks her to help him looking for his books, too. But when they get to the desk she lets out a sudden exclamation._

_“I can’t believe it.”_

_“What is it?”_

_“Edward left and forgot all the books.. Well, I’ll store them.”_

 

 

Roy is now entering the office and greeting everyone while his mind rewinds the last few weeks looking for similar behaviours. There is no way he is going to have a fair amount of paper job done by lunch if he keeps wondering like this.  
As usual, Hawkeye seems to read his mind as she speaks.

“Sir, is something bothering you?”

“No Lieutenant, thank you. Is there any chance I’ll be done by lunch time?”

“Yes Sir. _Tomorrow’s_ lunch time” Then empties two boxes of files on his desk and exits the room, not before nonchalantly placing her hand on her gun.

 _Fine_. Roy thinks

 

 

After three hours, the files are still piled up on his desk. He spent the morning thinking about Edward and mentally kicking himself for not noticing the problem before.  
Roy walks into the dining hall and takes a seat while recalling his last observations.

It is not just about the library episode or about what he experienced in first person on their last mission. Every time Havoc invites all of them out Edward always refuses advancing all sort of excuses. Or when that mother they just saved in Dohlburg hugged him. He remained very, very still and after that he disappeared and showed up the morning after. Now that he was thinking about it, all the pieces seemed to fit.

He is astonished for not having realised this sooner. Edward doesn’t let anyone touch him. And if it becomes necessary or unavoidable it is really unpleasant. He is subtle in not let anyone noticing, by shifting position in the room whenever it becomes too crowded, or just providing the perfect excuse.

  
Roy doesn’t know how but he knows he has to help him.  
And finding out what might have been happened to him seems like a good start.

Alphonse is not an option at the moment.

Going and asking to Mrs. Rockbell could be whether a counterproductive action or a potential disaster. Roy is well aware of the bad temper the young girl exhibits whenever Edward shows up with his automail smashed.

Since the change seems to be a rather recent one, Roy decides to try and contact the chimeras first.  
In fact, his instinct tells him this is the best choice.

_Something happened during the period Ed was away._

This words are like a demon in his head. He can only hope the two chimeras will share whatever they know about it. He is back in his office.  
Both Darius and Heinkel were asked to be in charge of the supervision over the labs in Central when Haruko stepped in. He decides to go looking for them immediately. Files can wait.

He exits the inner office as he speaks.  
“I’m leaving for a while, please notify the Lieutenant when she comes back from lunch”

Havoc shifts nervously.

“Ehm…yes..sir?”

“Also, do you know where I can find the people in charge of the Labs at this hour of the day?”

Fury replies while checking on his desk “Third flour, they have a meeting planned”

“Thank you”

 

Half an hour after the Colonel left the office, the phone starts ringing.

“Hello?” Havoc answers the phone.

A concitate speech follows, which makes the others raise their heads on the alert.

“WHAT?! - says as he stands up - Yes..I mean, I’ll let him now immediately.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I decided to add a new chapter every monday, unless overwork or laziness overcome me. I'm already starting with chapt 4 so I have a good feeling *w* What else? The ff takes place soon after Brotherhood events, as I forgot to mention before. Haruko is Fuhrer and Edward is still working in the military.


	3. Chapter 3

Roy finds both of them right outside the meeting room at the third floor. The personnel from the labs is scattering around and he has to struggle through them. They push him a couple of times before he manages to reach the two men talking.

“Gentlemen” he approaches.

The chimeras seem surprised to find him there.

“Colonel Mustang” Darius greets in a flat voice.

Roy could be just imagining it, but it feels like Darius just got irritated. Actually, he never got the chance to work with him so it must be just a wrong impression.

“May we have a moment? I need to ask you a few things, if it is all right”

Heinkel nods and shows to follow him down the aisle. Darius follows them with hands in the pockets.

“This way, we can have the room.”

They enter the office. “What do you want?” Darius asks.

“I need to talk to you about Edward. He is acting strangely and I thought you could help me understand what it is. You spent the last year before the Promised Day with him, right?”

Roy knew the chimeras were under Kimblee command until the mission against Briggs. Later, he found out they spent the following year along with Edward and the homunculus known as Greed. No much more. Edward never told him anything about that, and he never knew Prince Ling in person.

“Yes, we did. Why..” Heinkel starts only to be interrupted by Darius

“Yeah, something not everyone in the room can say.”

_Right. Impression._

“I beg your pardon?” Roy manages to reply while the other chimera continues “Darius, shut up..”

"No!” Darius say angrily “He starts playing saviour and is it all right? He left Ed on his own _a whole year_ and now he comes to ask?”

That hits Roy like a punch in the face. He always felt guilty about that, not being able to reach Edward, not even with his aunt’s help. But having someone else accusing you out loud is so much worse.

“Fuck, Darius, stop it. I’m sorry Colonel, but my friend has a point. Why now? Did Edward told you what happened after we rescued him?”

_Rescued_

Roy must be showing all his astonishment because Darius snorts and continues

“You don’t even know, do you? When he fought Kimblee in the North, the building collapsed and Edward ended up with a bar in his abdomen. He was bleeding to death when we found him. So I don’t give a fuck if he idolase you or what, you don’t deserve it, you have to leave him al..”

And Roy simply can’t stand it anymore. He moves in front of the chimera in what feels like a surge of rage.

“You don’t get to tell me to stay away from him. I don’t know what is your problem with me. I don’t care. What I do care now is helping him.”

“You can’t” Darius replies moving toward the door. He exits without another word.  
Heinkel sights. Then says   

“Colonel Mustang, I’m worried for Ed, too. But I don’t know if any of us can help him if he doesn’t want our help”

“You don’t understand. I must help him. What happened after he ..got injured?”

_You were injured. You were di.. .my god, and I was not there. And this is not even the whole story. What happened to you, Edward?_

______“______ I have no idea, please believe me. We rescued him and found a doctor. But we had to run again and again, every time the soldiers tracked us down. No matter Ed’s conditions. One night we were out in the woods, an old barn. I left to get something to eat and when I came back. ..

“What?”

“He was gone. Darius was desperate. A month passed. We almost lost any hope to found him again. But then we did. He never told us anything, but I think something happened to him, something bad.”

Roy goes silent for a while. Then asks again,“Any theories?”    

“No, but I know someone who could help you to find some answers.”

“Who?”

“Prince Ling of Xing. I’m sorry but now I have to go”  
Then moves toward the exit.

Mustang continues  
“Besides, what is your friend’s problem?”

Heinkel stops in front of the door and gazes at him for a few moments, then says looking him in the eyes

“Your very same, I am afraid.”

 

 

 

Hawkeye finds him on the roof. She knew this was one of his favourite place in the Headquarters whenever he had a lot in his mind. Today it just seems the case.  
He is sitting down on the floor, eyes lost in the skyline of Central.

“You always know where to find me, Riza. You are a good friend”

_I didn’t find him. This makes me what?_

She is caught off guard. He usually uses her name when there is something really troubling. The Promised Day. When Maes died.

“Sir?”

“I need to find Edward, as soon as possible. There is something wrong with him. I didn’t get the chance to help him before, but I do now. And I will. With your assistance.”

“Yes, Sir”

“Let’s go back to the office. I also need to find out a way to get in contact with someone in Xing”

 

 

 

As soon as they come back to their floor, they sense there is something off. Everyone runs in confusion from one office to another, phones keep ringing and no one seems to notice them.

They hurry up toward their office.

“What is going on here?” Roy says entering

Four worried gazes answer him

 

“Sir, there was an attack. The Central Bank..” Havoc starts, only to be overtaken by the others, who start talking at the same time,

“They robbed the bank!”  
“It seems they were alchemists and..”  
“During the escape the police hindered them but they escaped and..”

 

Not knowing why, Roy gets gooseflesh. Hawkeye also tenses, realizing the colleagues are not telling them something. In fact, they all went silent.   

“What is it?”     

 Fuery speaks in a rush

  
“Edward was there. He fought them but they managed to escape. He was injured but refused to go the hospital. We thought he could be at the dormitories but we still have to find him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess you are screaming "Why Darius??". Or "What happened?!". Well, I was screaming while writing, too.  
> I am enjoying this project, even if I have to find some quality time to write because I'm a little tired thanks to the new job XD I am also working on a Johnlock series of drabbles which I am going to upload this week, I think.  
> Have a great week, bye :3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I made you wait three chapters. I hope you'll forgive me with this chapter. Any error is due to my utter shock for the realise of a certain trailer about a fourth series of a unknown tv series. Bye--

_Edward was there. He fought them but they managed to escape. He was injured but refused to go the hospital. We thought he could be at the dormitories but we still have to find him._

Silent falls in the office.

“Did you check all the military facilities within the city?”

“Yes, sir”

“Hospitals?”

“Yes”

“At Gracia’s?”

“He didn’t show up there either”

Roy feels a stab in the stomach. He is not used to be so worried about something, about someone. But Edward is missing and he has no clue where he could be. Besides, why did he engaged them alone in the first place?

“Keep looking for him, I will go asking Armstrong” he says rushing outside.

“Sir!” Hawkeye follows and grabs him from the sleeve of the coat.

“What is it?”

“Sir, wait. I know you are worried but – she lowers her voice - there is somewhere else they didn’t check”

“Where?”

“Your place”

Roy turns to face her properly  
“Why would he go there?”

She sights “He is injured, even if he refused medical aid. He would choose your place because it feels safe to him.”

Roy stares at her for a moment. “How are you so sure about that?”

She sights again “He trusts you. Now go. Just let me know if you both are all right by evening”

Roy glances at her but decides to try at home first. If he is not there then he will reach Armstrong on his way back. He turns and starts running, Hawkeye’s glare following him.

 

 

Roy rushes outside Headquarters and takes a cab. When he arrives, the house greets him with the reflex of the sunset. The windows seem scraps of sky attached to the walls. The street is silent. The only sound is the obnoxious cicada chirping through the cosy front garden.

  
He steps into the garden at a brisk pace only to stop suddenly. He has just noticed a few dark spots on the ground. Blood.  
He hurries and unlocks the door with a clap of his hands.

Other people usually saw him as a severe person, so they would imagine a minimal if not aseptic apartment. They would be wrong. Roy’s house is really welcoming. Bright and soft colours are dominant. The floor is made in beechfood, polished after years of use. Some plants also decorate the main room.  
The entrance seems the same as always, the shoes lined up on the left cupboard and the umbrella stand on the right.  
Except for the little dark drops on the ground.

“Fullmetal?” he tries

No answer comes, so he goes ahead toward the kitchen.  
He has just entered the room when he catches up a slight movement on the floor next to the couch, an unmistakeable shade of blond.

“Edward…”

The younger man is sitting on the floor, pale face and eyes on the ceiling. He seems to be trying to regulate his breath, without any success.  
Roy pulls out the coat, then sits in front of him, mindful to maintain a certain distance.

“Edward, what happened?” then adds “Please”

There are a couple of scrutches on his cheek and the shadow of a bruise on his cheekbone. But that is not what worries Roy at the moment. In fact, he is looking at a serious cut on Edward’s right forearm. About fifteen centimeters, deep and still partially bleeding. The kind of injury only someone like his subordinate could consider as minor damage. Why on earth did he refused to go to the hospital?

Edward speaks without looking at him.  
“I needed somewhere qui-et to ..” his falters

The older man waits for him to continue.  
“..I just need a moment then I can g-“

“Please don’t. You can stay and I am not going anywhere either”

“There was a-a robbery. The bank.. I tried to stop them. Got injured..a-ha..Not bad though”

Roy is keeping watching Edwards as he speaks. He is not about to have another panic attack but he is not doing well either. He has dark circles under his eyes, probably from imsomnia. It seems he cried for a while before Roy got there, because his eyes are still bright with tears.

“Fuck, I’m..I’m so useless.”

“Edward, look at me. It’s ok.”

Edward doesn’t answer. Instead he tries to stand up. Roy imitates him.

“I’ll go now”

“Please, wait-”

Maybe is because of the shitty and sleepless week, or the blood loss, or both. Edward loses his balance and Roy is right there to catch him.

Edward frozes as soon as he realizes what happened and tries to distance himself from Roy.

But he doesn’t let him to. He keeps him close, hands grabbing his shoulders firmly. Roy still doesn’t know what happened to him, but he recognises fear when he sees it. The man in front of him is afraid. Maybe unwittingly. Maybe not. But he has no reason to be afraid of him. He looks Edward in the eyes and gets a little closer.

“Edward, I will never hurt you”

Edward looks at him with wide eyes. Roy can almost see the imaginary wall between them falling apart. Edward distanced himself from anyone for some reason but it lasted long enough. He needs to let someone in. His breath slows down. He lowers his head and touches Roy’s chest with his forehead.

And all of sudden, Roy almost can’t stand what he is feeling. The need to protect Edward exceeds every care he has ever felt for a colleague, for anybody else. It feels terrifying and electrifying at the same time. He also realise it is not something new. The same feeling smouldered under the ashes of all the problems they had to deal with, under every joke and every quarrel.

He was so busy foreseeing his enemies and rivals’ desires he forgot his own. He remembers Hawkeye knowing glare back in the hallway.

Why didn’t he realised it sooner?

All he can manage to do while processing the whispers of his heart is moving his hands from Edward’s shoulder to his back, hugging him slowly.

“Can I stay?” Ed’s words are murmured against his chest but it seems to Roy that he is rather speaking directly to his heart asking for permission.  
Then adds “Just for a while”

“As long as you want”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to apologise about the very very late update. I overworked at the bookshop and never found free time to write.  
> Thanks for the kudos, they give me live.

In the end, they stayed like that for more than a few minutes. None of them able to justify the inexplicable sense of calm they were experiencing.

At some point Roy lets him go.

“We need to take care of that” says referring to the cut “and you need to rest. Please make yourself comfortable. Sit on the couch, I’ll be right back.”

He runs into the bathroom to get some bandages and disinfectant and comes back. Edward lets him take his jacket. He rolls up the sleeve. The injury is bad and unclean.

Edward seems to read his mind because he starts “Yeah, I tumbled down in the dirt. Lucky me” while Roy cleans the cut.

“I need to put some disinfectant, is that ok? Or do you prefer do it yourself?”

“No..it’s ok”

They stay silent for a while, then Roy simply has to ask

“Why did you refuse to go to the hospital?”

The younger man stares at the floor and starts speaking

“It’s difficult to just..let someone I can’t trust next to me. Let alone let my guard down. When we were in that hotel, I was having a nightmare. I reacted instinctively when  
you reached me. But the thing is..I trust you. I am sorry.”  
God knows how difficult must be for Edward say these words. He really is amazing, thinks Roy.

“Edward you don’t need to apologize. I do. I didn’t realized you were in trouble. I’ll make amends for that.”

Edward wants to reply but Roy shuts him up with a glare. They got closer again and now they are just a few inches away.

“No more excuses. And no more escapes. Promise me” Roy says in a much lower tone than intended.

The other man stares at him with wide eyes and after a few seconds manages to nod. Roy smiles and gets up from the couch.

“I need to put these thing back and wash my hands. Just a moment”  
By the time Roy has finished, Edward is already half asleep, curled up on the couch. Roy makes him lay down and recovers a grey blanket from the closet.

“Rest” Roy gazes Edward to remark the fact that resting is not an option. But Edward already seems ready to fall asleep.

“Where’r ya going?”

“I need to make a call, but I’ll be right back. Don’t worry”

Edward closes his eyes and in a couple of minutes is asleep.  
Roy would rather stay exactly where he is now for more than one reason but there is something he needs to do first.

 

“Colonel Mustang’s office”

“Lieutenant, it’s me. You were right. I found him here. Thank you”

“You’re welcome. How is he?”

“I dressed the injury but that’s not what worries me now”

“I see. Is there anything we can help you with?”

Roy thinks about that for a sec.  
“I’ll take care of him. But I need you all to investigate into the robbery. And I need to get in contact with a person in Xing as soon as possible. Can you take care about that?”

“Sir, if I may ask, do you need to contact Edward’s friend, Ling?”  
Of course the Lieutenant is always one step ahead everyone else.

“Do you know him?”

“Not that much. I had the chance to talk with him soon after everything happened a year ago, before he left again for Xing”

“Can you reach him somehow? I really need to speak to him”

“Actually… there is another option sir. He is coming here”

“Sorry-?”

“As Crown Prince, he will lead the Xingan delegation which is due to be in Central within fifteen days. The occasion is the discussion of a new commercial treaty between Amestris and Xing. However I might suggest to act carefully about reaching him”  
Roy understands without further explanation. Publicly trying to reach him would put Haruko and those eager of the Fuhrership on the alarm because of the possible implications. A future Emperor taking a tea with a man well known for his political aspirations wasn’t a very good idea. At the same time, Xingans themselves could get the idea of a country still wrapped up in political turmoils. All of these considerations are taken as naturally as breathing for someone like Roy Mustang.

“Well, then. I’ll need to meet him by chance, don’t you think?”

“I agree”

“I’ll leave you the details then. I’ll see you tomorrow morning”

Roy hangs up the phone and comes back to Edward. He sits on the armchair next to the couch and observes Edward sleeping. He gets rid of both shoes and jacket and tries to find a more comfortable position on the seat.

Tonight Edward opened up, even if just a little. But Roy still doesn’t know anything. Maybe after a little chat with Prince Ling the situation could be clearer. At the moment, he has just some hypothesis from the chimeras. .

  
All of sudden, the meaning of Heinkel’s words hits him like a train.  
_“Besides, what is your friend’s problem?”_  
 _“Your very same, I am afraid”_

He startles at the realization. Darius had a love interest in Edward. Still has. Otherwise he wouldn’t be so angry. Does Edward know about Darius? Did they have a relationship? At once Roy feels overtaken by some kind of anger to which he still doesn’t dare to give a name.

He was a moron not to realise sooner he had feelings for Edward that go past the usual interaction between co-workers, but with everything they had to face, who could blame him? Besides, he was new to this kind of experience. His persona of womanizer was just a cover, after all. He needed to get in touch with his aunt’s girls and there was no better way than that. He has no idea how to love him, though..

_I’ll take care of him_

Saying it out loud at the phone before just felt so right. Now Roy wants to get the chance to find out if there can be something more than friendship with him. But his first priority is to help him through this. Having Edward sleeping like a baby for the first time in god knows how long feels like a victory already. Roy lets himself relax at that sight for a while, then turns out all the lights except for an abat-jour and tries to get some sleep himself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week I was inspired, so the chapter is longer than usual.   
> I finished reading a marvellous book (can I write the title or is that against the rules? let me know if you know XD )  
> About the chapter..Roy is a cinnamon roll. My cinnamon roll. Bye

The morning after Roy wakes up after a very little comfortable night. Why does he even keep that chair in the first place? He slowly stretches and hazards a look toward the couch. Edward is still asleep, those stunning gold hair loosen on the pillow he is hugging. He cuddled himself and even if he is a grown up man now, by seeing him like this, somehow Roy is one more time reminded of how much Edward went through in his life.

He stands up without making any noise and starts preparing breakfast. He would rather stay at home – one part of his treacherous mind can’t help including Edward in the picture – but they have this robbery thing to deal with. And he has to speak with Hawkeye about what to do next.

He makes some toasts and pulls out some milk and juice from the fridge. Some marmalade and jam to complete the tableau. Lastly, two cups of hot coffee. It seems the best choice because he can hear some mumbles before a gold –and really messy – head makes its entrance in the kitchen. What about the coffee waking the dead?

“’M-ning” says as he sits. Roy hands him the cup.

“Not a morning person, I assume”

“Mh-h. Never been”  
He takes a couple of sips then adds “Coffee is really good”

The older man takes a moment to observe Edward. He has a better look than yesterday. Although he is still far too pale to be completely fine. Secondly, he seems to be a little too much thin. Could that be stress or something else? He wouldn’t be surprise to find out the other has been neglecting himself. Despite all of that, he can’t help but think Edward turned out a stunning young man. His hair are charming, and when you add those elegant facial features – his Xerxenian heritage – to the mix..let alone his eyes, capturing every light in the room and brighting back doubled in intensity. ..Those same eyes glaring at him right now.

“Are you done staring?” The tone is as rude as always but all over Edward’s face an undeniable shade of pink appears.

Fortunately, Roy has always had an extraordinary resilience.

  
“Actually I was reflecting on something. Please, listen up before stopping me." He pauses for a moment,  "I thought about what happened these last few days and I think you should stay here for a while..”

“..what?” it’s Edward’s turn to stare at him as if he just spoke Xingan

“You should stay here. I have a spare room. Edward, I am not unprepared, I know what it’s like. The nightmares, the anxiety and all of it. I experienced all of this after Ishval. I cannot pretend to know what the problem is, maybe you’ll tell me eventually but what matters now is..I care. Please, say yes”

Edward is silent for a long moment, lost in his thoughts.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. I mean, I am a mess, you saw that. I’m just gonna throw your fucking lazy way of living out of the window and..” Edwards stops himself because of the face Roy’s doing.

“Never say that again”

Edward is disoriented, “Fine. Throwing away your _amazingly dedicated_ way of li..”

“For God’s sake..” Roy exclaims “That you are a mess, you idiot. I never wanna hear that again.”

“Ah”

There is another moment of silence

“I’ll stay..for now” Edward finally answers, his tone still doubtful.

“Very well..for now” Roy echoes.

 

They have just left the house when Roy demands some information about what happened at the bank.

“Well, I was there because some idiot lost my checkout and stuff. By the way, without anyone noticing these three fuckers enter the bank and start shouting. Then ask for the vault. I know I should have wait for backup, but I couldn’t just do nothing, so I attacked the first one, disarmed him and ask for the second to surrender”

Roy was confused “What happened then?”

Edward sights and continues.

“They had an accomplice among the hostages. He was behind me in no time and hit me with a gun. It startled me. The other guy took the chance and stabbed me – says pointing at the forearm- and..”

“And you forgot to mention that hit. You could have a concussion, do you realise that?”

“Come on bastard, I’m fine.” he grins.

Roy sights heavily. There is no hope the other is going to gain some common sense anytime soon.

“What happened next?”

“In that moment, police made its appearance and they were on the run. I tried to go after them but.. and then the first aid arrived. They wanted to take me to the hospital. I refused. Then..well, you know”

In the meanwhile, they have arrived to the Headquarters and are heading for the office.  
“We can’t let these people run away. It’s not just the robbery. The new establishment’s image would be damaged somehow if we can’t catch them and after all we went through we don’t need another crisis..”

“Fine for me. I just wanna punch them in the face”

And Roy can’t help but stop walking and burst in a laugh. Actually, he can’t remember the last time he laughed so much. He doubles himself with laughter. When he manages to gain some control, he looks up at Edward. He is staring at him with something he can’t quite read in his eyes.

“What? You are hilarious”

Edward smiles and shakes his head “At your service”  
Roy smiles back. And they are looking at each other and somehow it’s so easy..no..it’s always been so easy to forget the rest of the world when they are together that..

“Sir?” they both ear Hawkeye calling. She has just exit the office.

“I believed I just heard you. Were you..laughing?” she says, with a shade of skepticism in her voice.

It’s Edward’s time to laugh “You couldn’t hear that in a million of years Lieutenant, could you?” and enters the door. She smiles and both her and Roy follow him.

“Boss, you made us worry as hell yesterday” Havoc greets him.

“Sorry about that, guys. It wasn’t nothing worrisome, though”  
Roy glares at him, the others not seeing him.

“What happened to you at the bank, Edward?” Hawkeye asks.

So he has to update them, too. Well, he omits to mention where he ended up after the robbery. It’s not like he doesn’t trust them and it’s not about embarrassment either. The fact is..he doesn’t know either. Shame, maybe? But it’s not what this is really about. But he can’t give it a name yet. Because giving voice to what he is feeling .. no, he can’t do that. Not after what happened to him.

 

A few hours pass. Edward is visibly tired. They both are in Roy’s office.  
Roy murmurs so the others can’t hear him

“You should go home Edward”

“I’m fine. If I am tired, I can always go back at the dormitories. Plus, I need to take some things I need before I ..ehm.. move in?”

“It’s not like you can do that properly in the dormitory, and you know that. I can take care of having your things delivered. Don’t worry” adds reading Edward’s worried face “ It will be just me and Hawkeye. Is that ok?”

“Fine. I’ll be waiting for you for dinner. I wanna eat Aegurian and you’re paying”, he says standing up and heading for the exit.

“Edward?” Roy calls back.

“What is- “, Edward turns back just in time to catch a bunch of keys. He stares at them.

“You know, I..” then shouts his mouth.

And adds “No, it’s nothing. See you later” and leaves Roy wondering about what was about to say.


	7. Chapter 7

Soon after Edward left, Hawkeye makes her entrance in the office.

 “Sir.”

“Lieutenant, do we have some other information about the thieves?”

“Accordingly to some hostages, they were speaking Amestrian but with a marked Cretan accent”

Roy goes silent for a while, thinking.

“I don’t like this. I don’t understand. And I don’t like not knowing .. we need to understand what is going on here. What are they interested in?”

He receives a nod as response. Then picks up the phone and digits a number. After two rings a female voice answers the phone.

 

“Hello?”

“Hi Milly, it’s Roy”

“Lov, you never call me these days”

“I know, I’m so sorry my dear.. Will you please forgive me? I’ll take you out for dinner tomorrow”

“Mh, I don’t know.. where would you take me this time”

“The Emerald, your favourite. Nowhere else”

“Well, I suppose I will forgive you..this time”

“I am very glad to hear that. I’ll pick you up by 8pm” then Roy pauses “And take an umbrella, it might be raining”  
There is just the tiniest hesitation when she answers, “Better not, I like my shoes! See you tomorrow lov” and she hangs up.

 

Roy hangs up and loses himself in his thoughts, still staring at the phone. He  _has to_ inform the Madam through his usual channel about the last news. However, he is not going to tell her about Edward being his guest. Not if he can help it.  

Edward will already be at home by now.

_At home._

He can’t just ignore the feelings burning his stomach right now. He is so worried about what happened to Ed and he has no clue about it yet. At the same time, the whole situation made him realise what he denied during the last months. His feelings for Edward. He can almost hear Hughes laugh at him from nowhere. After all, he..he would understand.

Then, there is the robbery. When the others told him they couldn’t find Edward, who got injured of all things, that moment he just felt like if he was freezing. But now he is safe and this is all that matters.  
Maybe he should ring home to ask him if everything is all right but.. what if he just get upset because of it? Or maybe he is sleeping?

“Sir, it’s been five minutes now.” Hawkeye’s voice takes him by surprise.

“I’m sorry” he pauses. He has always been sincere with her, but he can’t be completely sincere and admit his feelings, not right now...

“Sir?”

“Yes?”

“Sometimes it’s ok to be torn by something. Just deal with one problem at the time. It will be fine”

He stills for a moment then chuckles. He should know better. She is amazing.  
“Thank you, Riza”

“There is something else I can help with?” she smiles.

“I could use some help actually. I need to pick up Edward’s things at the dormitory. He is going to stay at my place for..a while.”

“Very well then. Let’s go.”

 

When they arrive at the dormitory they have to ask the housekeeper about Edward’s room number. because Roy didn’t thought about it earlier. A fat and balding man leads them to the room, pulls out an heavy and rather filthy bundle of keys from a pocket and unlocks the door without actually opening it. He must think they are here because of some kind of investigation because he starts talking with an annoyed voice

“Jeez, the guy is a total freak, I mean, we see every kind of people here, the noisy ones, the troublemakers and all. But this one? Not a sound, until after midnight.."

Roy is barely standing the urge to grab him by his shirt and punch him hard enough to make him regret to be able to speak, but what he is saying right now is strange  
“Then what?” he says, gritting his teeth.

The man continues “Well, he screams like hell. For a while, then it comes back to silence. Almost every night he spends here. Not a lot, but this is not good for business, you know, having a freak as neighbor and..”

“You are dismissed” Roy is not looking at him but his voice must be convincing enough because the housekeeper snorts and comes back downstairs, panting for the effort.  
He turns to face Hawkeye

“Can I ask you to wait me here for a moment, I'd like to take a look inside on my own before moving his things”

“Of course. I will wait downstairs.”

As soon as she is gone, he grabs the handle, enters the room and closes the door behind him.

The place is the epitome of deceitful renting. A spare room, about three-square meters wide. A shabby and ripped wallpaper. No wardrobe. A little sink in the right corner. A table covered in books and sheets of paper. Edward’s only other things must be contained in the luggage under the unmade bed.

Roy leans against the door and lowers himself to the ground and covers his face with his gloved hands.  
Edward uses to spend his time here. Alone. There is no way he couldn’t find a better place if he wanted. He is still working for the goverment, and is smart enough to avoid that kind of rip-off. Why is he spending his life here?

_I should have notice all of this, shouldn’t I?_

“I am so sorry Ed” he murmurs to the void room.

There is no way he is ever going to come back in a place like this. Never again. Roy is going to have a _very long_ chat with him about this. He will help him for sure and then..and for some reason his head decides to mess up with him and recalls him Darius’ s words at the Headquarters  
_“You can’t"_

Roy can’t help but give in to the rage he’s been piling up since the day before and hits the wall beside him with a fist  
“Fuck you!”

He hears the sound of something hitting the floor right beside him. _What?_  
He turns his head searching the floor and notices something small and black next to his feet. In that same moment Hawkeye knocks at the door.

“Sir, may I?”

He hurries up and stands up to open the door.

“Sir, is everything alright?” she asks as he lowers back on the floor to pick up the object.

“What is it?” Roy asks but Hawkeye has already picked it form his hands.

“It’s..a bug. Where does it come from?” she is frowning.

“From here. I..just noticed it. It fell on the floor. Maybe was hidden behind the door frame..” He is pale now. And keeps staring at the bug.

“Sir..”

“Riza, call the others, immediately. We have to search this place and nothing leaves without a proper inspection. Tell them not to speak with anybody about this. Especially Edward”

All Roy is thinking right now is thanking his fortune that Edward already agreed to move in. Besides, what the hell is going on here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry, I couldn't update until today.  
> Btw, I started reading this new manga, Norimiya and it's absolutely fantastic!   
> Ps: I am on Tumblr and I forgot to mention it XD https://www.tumblr.com/blog/isobelsuperwholocked <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I say two chapters this week, dind't I?   
> Well.. . . what about a double chapter? *w*

In the end, they found three bugs. The one Roy found, one under the bed, one in the luggage. Once they had checked every object, Roy took them home. Obviously, he had to apologize with Edward for the delay, considering he was waiting for dinner. But there was no way he would tell him about what he found. They got their take away at home, then prepared Edward’s room for the stay.

“Oi bastard, didn’t you forgot a black shirt on the way? Can’t findd it here..”

“I am sure I forgot anything. Maybe you destroyed it during one of your suicid..”

“Don’t you dare finish..”

“Just joking Ed, sleep well”

 

Days pass and a new routine establishes itself in their lives. Edward is not used to domestic life. Well, he is able to do laundry, to cook a decent meal and all of that. But enjoying the commodities of domestic life, that is totally different. Roy ascribes it to the years spent on the road looking after a way to have Alphonse’s body back. If he ever had any taste of it, it was certainly long gone by now. 

On the other side, Roy just can’t stop torturing himself over the fact the object of his attentions .. makes a mess in the kitchen, or uses all the hot water showering. He can’t tell if he is going to be mad of love or anger. And then they find themselves staying up until late, on the sofa, talking about the secrets of the alchemic universe and everything else just..disappears. Edward is brilliant, funny and far more meditative than Roy ever gave credit for. Edward is also obliged to admit that his feelings for someone are far more intense than expected. He knew he had a long-time crush on him and at the time he also understood a large part of the reasons it wasn’t anything exceptional – a boy without a paternal figure who is asked to join the military by the _fucking hottest Colonel ever_ … and there is no way he could have a kink for authoritative men- . But soon enough he was able to see through his façade and came to appreciate Mustang’s ideals and supported them. And one day he was at the library, thinking about him when Alphonse intruded in his bubble asking “Brother, why are you smiling?” In that moment he knew. He knew he was fucked. And living here? This is the best and the worst idea at the same time. Even if – and it is a giant if – he admits he is interested in his host, there is no way he is gonna ruin Roy’s life. He is too messed up. Besides, who would be interested in him, let alone Roy?

 

They are not giving up to the investigations yet, although the robbers seem to have disappeared. As for the other problem, Roy asked everyone to keep the secret for the moment. He also asked Hawkeye to find out where those bugs are made and who use them. There is no way to tell why Edward was being spied at the dormitory or if they should worry about other than bugs. His date with Milly wasn’t helpful either. She was one of the Madam’s girls. Although Roy was catch off guard when the Madam herself showed up at the end of the evening   
_“What are you up to, Roy-boy?”  
“Many things, as usual”  
“Something strange in happening beyond Cretan borders. I can tell. But I don’t know anything else. Be careful”  
The fact that she didn’t knew was enough to set Roy’s alarms on.  
“As always”  
She was already leaving when she stopped and asked him  
“That boy..”  
Roy turned a deaf ear  
“Who?”  
She looked at him in silence, then sighted “As I said before…”_

One evening they are trying to get some rest by staying at home. It has become far too easy to not remember how it was spending the spare time alone, without each other’s company. Roy has come to look forward these precious moments and the same goes for Edward. Even if they don’t dare saying it aloud, of course.   
It has been raining all the day over and Edward’s ports hurts like hell. The fact that he is used to it doesn’t make it any better. Roy is reading on the sofa when it hears the sound of broken glass from the kitchen. He jumps up and is in the kitchen in matter of seconds.

“Edward, are you all right?” 

“Shit! This is my favorite one” Edward swears, pointing at the broken cup on the floor.

It’s somehow hilarious. The young boy is growing so fond of every aspect of domestic life. 

Roy chuckles “Then why did you broke it?”

Edward glares at him “I didn’t broke it. It slipped away. Ports don’t get along well with rain. Or cold”

Now Roy is worried. It is the first time he sees this kind of effects on Edward. He just read about them in his brother’s reports over the years.   
Edward moves his arm again and can’t help but groan.

“Can I suggest a bath? The heat could help, right?”

Edward stills then admits “Right, I..didn’t think about that”.

 _Of course you didn’t_ Roy thinks. The house has two bathrooms but the only bathtub is in Roy’s bathroom, which means, despite Roy’s many offers, Edward never wants to intrude his spaces. 

“Go ahead and take your time. Seems like you need it”

Edward just nods in agreement and goes upstairs.

A few minutes later Roy enters the bedroom and takes out some clothes from the wardrobe.

“I left you a change on the bed. Wait for you downstairs” 

“..Ok. Thanks”

Actually, Edward is still sitting on the floor in the bathroom, back to the door. He is just .. a few days has passed but now, entering the bathroom, all of sudden he has realized he is sharing a house with him. _With Roy._ He really is a moron. It’s not like he never considered it, but one thing was having him hanging around in the dining room, but this? He thought he would have never seen Roy’s house, let alone his bedroom. Who can tell, how many women or men he took upstairs all over the years he was serving under him.. 

_I just need a bath and some good rest_ Edward curses himself for the trail of his thoughts.   
He curses himself again all over the bathing time – no, there is no way he loves Roy’s shampoo scent -, and of course he does again when he wears the clothes Roy left him. Roy’s. He is going crazy anytime soon. 

 

An hour has passed when Edward finally comes back downstairs and joins Roy sitting on the floor next to the fire. 

“How do you feel?” 

“Better, thank you for letting me use it”

“Edward how many times do I have to say this? You are welcome to use it how many times you like”  
Edward slay down on his side, facing Roy. His left arm raised to hold up his head.

“It’s been ages since I take a bath instead of a shower. A quick shower” he grins.

“How long?”

“Well, it must be since we left home the first time, when we..burned it down. The house had a big bathroom. I was a child so yeah, the bathtub was like a swimming pool to me, but it was big nonetheless. By the way, I really loved it and when Mum and Al…”

Edward is talking without any sadness in his voice about his childhood in Resembol and Roy’s main instinct right now is hugging him until next morning. He notices the younger man is not as pale and drained as he was before moving in. It’s a start. As for the anxiety attacks, there have been a few episodes during the first days, but they managed. Edward seems to be comforted by Roy’s touch but the older man can’t tell if this is because of him in particular or not.   
So here he is, listening to Edward’s stories about Resembol, Mrs.Rockbell and Alphonse. Edward is more relaxed, thanks to the bath, and his eyes are almost sleepy. Roy is still staring at him when notices something else.  
His t-shirt is far too loose for someone like Edward. It’s not the first time he gave him clothes –because, seriously, one luggage?- but he usually transmutes them in order to make them fit. Tonight he must have forgotten. The neckline is far too wide and shows more skin than it does on Roy. But that is not what Roy is noticing now. There is something wrong in the way the light hits the skin.

He moves closer while the other one keeps talking. Then he interrupts him.

“…and then Winry began to chase us with a..”

“What is that?”

Edward is caught off guard but then suddenly brings his hands up, where the neckline was supposed to hide -Roy is now sure- a formidable set of scars.   
The younger man stares at him in shock and tries to sneak off away from the soft light of the fireplace. 

He can’t. Roy has already grabbed his right forearm. Edward tries to distance himself from the older man. In vain. Now Roy is towering over him, his knees wide open to surround him. The couch beside him in the almost dark room. No way out.

“Edward, who did this?” Roy’s voice is steel and ice at the same time but Edward can tell that this is not the reason he has shivers. They have never been so close since that first night he spent bleeding in the kitchen. .

“Does it matter?” he replies without looking at him, because, honestly.. even if he knew, he hopes every single day to never meet that piece of shit again in his life.

“Of course it does, but not right now” Roy’s voice has softened, and Ed sets his gaze on him. 

“Edward, I know I ask a lot but..would you let me check them? Please” And Ed can’t help but tense. He also knows there no way he can refuse. Not to Roy.

So he claps his hands and transmutes the t-shirt open. But he can’t look at Roy anymore. He loses himself in his thoughts while facing the fireplace.  
Roy feels sick. Edward’s chest is sprinckled with scars of different shapes and origin. Cuts, punctures, and burns. The last ones are Roy’s field after all. So, he is perfectly aware of how much pain they have caused to the man in front of him.   
And he also notices a broad different scar on his left side.

_Edward ended up with a bar in his abdomen. He was bleeding to death when we found him._

“What possibly happened to you..” Roy says and without thinking, he raises his hand to touch it.

Edward starts panting, but he is not distancing himself. 

“I am sorry, do they hurt?” He is already withdrawing his hand when Edward murmurs 

“Please, don’t..don’t stop”

 

Edward himself can’t believe in his words. He already knows Roy will be disgusted by now. But his touch is like a balm he would be glady be addicted to. He speaks without processing it. 

However Roy doesn’t retrieve. He gets closer and starts lightly touching–rather then merely inspecting them- every single scar on the other’s chest. And when he is done with it, he pushes further and goes for the back. He can’t see them now, but it seems even worst just by touching it. By now, Edward’s eyes are dangerously shiny, his jaw tighten. Roy can read one emotion after another. Pain, relief, worry. And shame.

Roy brushes his back a little more firmly, then rest his hand on his lower back to get his attention again. Edward finally looks at him, sadness and something like defeat in his eyes.

 

“Whatever happened, it wasn’t your fault”

Roy’s voice is calm, vibrating. Firm. Edward can’t breathe. He never felt like this before. He just wants to hide himself in Roy’s embrace forever and cry until senseless. He thought the other would have been repulsed or distant at least. Instead..

He can smell Roy’s scent – or is it his own now, after using his shampoo?-, they are just centimeters apart now and everything feels so confused and right at the same time.   
He is still breathless as he straightens himself closer to Roy, who is looking at him with eyes black as night but burning like if they were fucking suns. Edward raises his hand and places it on the other’s chest. 

Is it his heart that is thundering in the silent room or Roy’s? The fire maybe or the storm…

He lets out a breath in the shape of a prayer

“Roy..” 

 

and then out of nowhere someone is knocking furiously at the door. 

Edward is petrified and Roy closes his eyes for a moment, almost considering ignoring whomever the fuck is interrupting them. Then sights with disappointment, stands up and moves toward the door. He really is going to punch them in the face – Edward’s influence in showing at last – if this is not something important. He unlocks the door. 

He is speechless for about three seconds once he recognize the young man in front of him, soaked and disappointed.

 

_Shit_

 

It is Alphonse.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BA-DUM!

It is Alphonse

“Alphonse, it’s been a while. Please, come in” Roy manages to say. He is usually good at non letting his thoughts show, through but he is not completely sure about that right now. 

“Colonel. Nice to see you too. Sorry for the intrusion but I arrived in Central around an hour ago and.. !”

Edward has just made his appearance in the entrance, his shirt restored in his former shape and in the correct size this time. Roy looks at him looking for any compromising clue . His cheeks don’t give him away already, but his pupils are still wide. Edward is also looking at him, and then hazards a look towards his brother and frowns

“Al?”

“That’s all you’ve got to say? Al? You idiot!” he steps toward Edward without taking off his shoes “I arrived with the last train from the East, it was supposed to be a surprise. I went straight to the dormitory where you were supposed to be. And what do I find? You are gone, no clue. And this mid-aged housekeeper keeps telling me you were arrested..”

“What? Arrested? Please.” Edward tries to placate him.

“Then what happened? Why are you here?” he asks looking again at Mustang. 

“Uhm...” Edward is not sure how to handle this. He can’t tell Alphonse why. Of course not. And somehow he keeps asking himself the same question, so..

Alphonse is looking rather interestingly at his brother’s outfit. And his hair..how the tips are still dampened. 

“Are you..?” but Roy doesn’t let him finish the sentence. 

 

“Alphonse, there was a problem with the dormitory, yes. I ended up offering your brother a place to stay in the meanwhile. There wasn’t any arrest. You have nothing to worry about.” He hopes the bloody housekeeper has kept his mouth shut about Ed’s situation, let alone the search. He is not ready to face that problem with him. Not yet.

“Is that so?” Alphonse is staring at him, his left eyebrow raised. Again. Edward doesn’t know why but he feels his face burn. 

“Yeah..sure. What he said.” Then counterattacks. Because it is his specialty.

“Why are _you_ here Al? You are still recovering, you should be resting..”

Al conceeds a smile, the first since he has arrived.

“I’m fine Brother, I’m done resting. It’s been a while.”

“You didn’t answer” Roy makes him notice.

Alphonse looks at him again, then seems realise the whole situation he put himself in

“Colonel, I am sorry. I rushed over here because I was worried, but it seems I misunderstood the situation. I behaved so poorly, I have no excuse.” Then to Ed, “I came to visit you but yes, I have other plans too. We can talk about it tomorrow.”

Edward sights then smiles “Fine.”

Then steps ahead and hugs him tightly “ I really missed you. I’m sorry I made you worry”

“Where are you staying?” Roy intrudes

“I will stay at Gracia’s, I called her yesterday. Actually, I should make a phonecall. She will be worried too..”

Edward rolls his eyes “Al, come on! You better call her”

“The phone is in the kitchen. On the right”

 

As soon as Alphonse is gone, Roy turns to face the other Elric. Edward is looking at him with a mix of worrying and maybe..thankfulness? He is not sure.

“Are you ok?” Roy murmurs and can’t help himself but squeeze his shoulder gently.

“I don’t know” Edward’s one is awfully sincere.

Roy wants to reply but Alphonse is already coming back and he only has time to lower his hand. Edward might have been naïve enough not to understand his brother’s thoughts but he wasn’t. Alphonse has always been smart, but this is the first time it might be a problem.. 

“Thank you Colonel” Gracia says hi. I’ll be heading now” Then to Ed “We see each other tomorrow” then adds “outside the office, for lunch?”

Roy takes his chance, greets him with a gesture, and comes back in the other room, leaving them some privacy in the entrance. 

“Sure thing. So you will tell me what you are up to.”

“I could tell you the same” Al says while putting his shoes on.

“Aaah?”

“I’m not that stupid brother. You never tell me anything. I let you some space but your time is running out. Whatever is going on – motioning his head towards the living room – I wanna know.”

“What the hell was that?” Edward whispers imitating his brother’s gesture. He feels his face burning now. Al just smiles. It is terrific, somehow.

“See you tomorrow, Brother. Goodnight” then opens the door and leaves.

 

Edward stares at the door. He can’t deny he is worried like hell. Alphonse was supposed to spend his time in Resenbool, to gain strength, to eat cakes, to be happy. Not here. Not to watch after him. He enters the living room but his thoughts are still running. What if he decides to stay? What if he demands answers? What if he finds out.. This is a disaster waiting to happen. He is a disaster waiting to happen..

 

Roy is facing the fire, so when he hears Edward stopping halfway doesn’t immediately understand why.  
He turns to take a look. Edward is in the middle of the room, his head lowered. The hair cover his face but the body shakes as if he is trying to hold back sobs. In fact, Roy can’t get up soon enough to avoid Edward to let himself flop on the floor. Like if he has finally given up to gravity. He bursts out crying very loudly. He tries to cover his mouth with both his hands, like he could still refuse to surrender. Roy is already rushing next to him.

“I ca-n’t..I Ca..n’t do th-this anymoh. Fakin’ that..ah ..e-everything will be alright. You s-aid I’m not a mess. I AM, I a-am so-so much beyond savin.. - slams a forceless punch on the plaque – Why could’n..why couldn’t you j-ust leave m-me?

Roy grabs him and Edward tries to distance himself, but lacks of convintion, he has no more strength left to fight.

“N-o, please, gh..“shaking his head

The other man hugs him so tightly he can’t really shake anymore. So Edward just cries without restrain, something he didn’t allowed himself to do in a very, very long time. They stay like this for a while. And Roy stays put, one wave after another, collecting all of his broken pieces. And when the tears are gone, there are still sobs and a labored breathing.

 

“You know why”  
Roy says, still keeping him in his arms.  
Edwards raises his head to look at him but can’t quite focus on him because they are so very close right now. .

“You know why“ he says stroking his back and raising up to his neck.  
Edward thinks again about what they were doing before Alphonse showed up. And before, when Roy found his in the kitchen that night. .

“You know why” Roy whispers, and he is brushing Edward’s face with his nose, his eyes almost shut, but not quite..

 

Yes, maybe he knows. 

Maybe he knew for a long time. 

 

He brushes Roy’s cheek with his flesh- and shaky- hand. He is so warm.

And he feels so cold. He felt so cold for so long that this simple touch feels like fire.

He closes the distance by drawing Roy’s head with both his hands and kisses him.

Roy holds him tight and returns the kiss desperately. While doing so, he keeps stroking Edward’s face, his hair, his hands as if he needs some kind of reassurance this is not a dream. 

 

Not this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, even if my schedule is hell I woud rather not sleep in order to carry on with this fanfiction..which actually is what I am doing right now XD


	10. Chapter 10

_You know why_

These three words keep vibrating all through Edward’s soul while they are kissing.

Are spells real? Did Roy enchanted him somehow? 

He feels like he has no other choice than stay like this for the rest of his life. 

 

“Roy” he whispers between a kiss and another “I know”

And the other man can’t help but smiling a little while kissing him even more intensely, if it is possible.  
Roy can’t believe to have him in his arms. This was the one thing he longed to for the past days, week, maybe since he understood the true nature of his feelings for Ed. He dared hope no more than that. And now there they are. 

Roy interrupts the kisses and murmurs 

“You needed to know how I feel about you. I am here, no matter what” says brushing the other’s hair “but I don’t want to push you Ed, if..” 

Edward raises his hand and covers the other’s mouth. Roy looks at his eyes, still red from crying too much but much brighter than before. 

“You were keeping that close” he tries to smile a little. He take a deep breath and continues “I don’t know if I will be able to, but..if you will give me a little time..” then  
shakes his head and adds “What I mean is.. you are not pushing me. I want, too.”

And Roy can’t think of a better answer than dodging the hand and kissing him again. 

“Yes, of course”, a kiss “of course”, another kiss. “I ..you are amazing and you don’t even realise that, do you?” 

Then sights smiling “What if we move to the couch? We can cuddle and get some sleep. Is it ok?”

Edward smiles back “Great, actually”

Roy stands up and offers his hand to Ed.

“Not a fucking dame in distress yet” the younger man says, but keeps the hand anyway.

“Of course not” Roy answers dragging him to the couch.

They spend the rest of the evening hugged on the couch, talking.

 

“I am worried about Al” Edward admits, “He acts like a hound sometimes”

“Yeah, I always found him very perceptive” Roy admits, thinking about the other Elric’s appearance before. Which reminds him he has not told Edward about the bugs yet. 

“Mhm” Edward adds.

They stay silent for a while. Roy keeps massaging Edward’s side with his free hand. 

“Roy”

“Yeah?”

“After I fought Kimblee, when I went into hiding, I..”

He paused but Roy did not pushed him. He needs to know.

“..I was hurt and someone took me away from the chimeras. We were hiding in some abandoned place, and Heinkel was out looking for food. I and Darius … well, we had an argue and he left. That’s when it happened ”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, mini chapter. The next one will be longer, I promise. From tomorrow I'm going to spend a few days on holiday in Amsterdam (looking forward to visit this amazing city) and I wanted to post the new chapter so badly!  
> Also, reached 50 kudos this week! Thank you very much for all your support and love, it means the world to me (_ _*)


	11. Chapter 11

“..I was hurt and someone took me away from the chimeras. We were hiding in some abandoned place, and Heinkel was out looking for food. I and Darius … well, we had an argue and he left. That’s when it happened ”.

“I was upset and a little zoned out because of the injury, so there was not much I could do. I tried to fight back but..it wasn’t enough. They immobilized me almost immediately and drugged me to keep me quiet.”

Roy isn’t sure if the anger he is feeling for the people who assaulted Edward is much less than the fury he feels once more towards the chimera who left him unguarded in such a fragile situation as it was. No matter what the quarrel was about. And there isn’t a chance he would have let this one unsolved, but for the moment there were more impending questions. He keeps brushing Ed’s forearm as the other continues.

 

_When Edward regains consciousness, the world is nothing but darkness. It could be the rough cloth they used to blindfold him, but he is almost certain to be staying inside some construction site, maybe a basement. He is chained against a pillar. His legs and feet are bonded with heavy chains and the same goes for his arms. Also, handcuffs. He spends a few minutes trying to free himself or at least to activate a transmutation. A smooth voice right in front of him freezes every movement._

_“You can’t. I assured about that.”_

_He didn’t even realized there was someone other than him in the proximity._

_“Who the fuck are you? Why am I here?”_

_“You don’t know me. Not yet. But we’ve got plenty of time.”_

_“Do you work for Bradley?”_

_The man chuckles “I have no part in your little.. dispute. I have my own interests to guard.”  
Edward heards the man standing up and approaching as he speaks “Enough talking for now. Let’s get started, shall we..”_

_The man spends the next days experimenting on the young prisoner. There are cuts, deep and clean, on his chest, punctures, sometimes drugs and sometimes god know what._

_Edward tries not to give him any satisfaction, so tries not to give in to pain._

_He manages, most of the time._

_His prisoner does his job with diligence and an almost maniacal perseverance. One day – Edward lost the count at this point – they are in the middle of their routine, when he yells once more “Why are you doing this?” as the other burns his skin right on his scapula._

_Strangely, the other one stops for a moment, then answers_

_“We have lost something, and I want it back” There in anger and desperation in this statement. This must be a personal affair, not a random criminal plan, Edward thinks, not knowing which one would be better._

_“If you fuckers lost something, what do you need me for?”_

_“You misunderstood me, -says brushing gently his neck and resting the hand on the injured torso – I was talking about the two of us. “_

_“Right now it’s just the two of us. I need to do this” adds while scraping the blooded skin under his hand and making Edward groaning in pain “You don’t understand, but you’ll see. You’ll see”_

_Days pass and Edward can’t see a way out of this. He is far too injured to even consider a serious escape attempt on his own. His side still hurts like a bitch and the other injuries also worry him. For some reason the man kept them constantly watched and disinfected but.._

_Besides, it is clear the man has precise plans that involve him, and he is showing more and more excited as he proceeds in his experiments, whatever they are. He hadn’t had a chance to look around him yet._

_What if he doesn’t manage to break free? What if the Promised Day comes and he is not in Central City to help the other? And Al.._

_“Well, well, what’s going on here? Are you hyperventilating?”. He feels a needle on his arm. “Here you go”_

_“Please, yo-you don’t understand! I need..I need..to go. They are all waitin’..Winry, Al.. . Roy..,I..have”_

_Edward’s thoughts rapidly slips into unconsciousness when his jailer whispers “After all, we’re almost done”_

_One day the experiments stop. Edward knows this is not good as it could seems. What is going to happen now? Whatever the man is keeping in the building, he spent the last hours to move it. If he is cleaning up and no longer needs a prisoner.._

_“We spent some quality time, I must say, but it’s time to move on. We all have our business to care about, don’t we? But don’t worry..”_

_All of sudden Edward’s mouth is covered with a wet cloth. A nasty sweet smell permeates it. Edward struggels to free himself but the other man keeps his head still against the wall. That’s when finally the blindfold falls._

_Edward can’t tell if he his eyesight is blurry because he spent all that time blindfolded or if it is because of the drugs on the cloth, which are already making him senseless. The man doesn’t bother to blindfold him again._

_He can’t focus. There is just one thing he registers before darkness welcomes him once more._

_Long golden hair._

_“Edward! Edward!!”_

_The screamings wakes him up. He is lying down on his back. He is not longer inside. There is too much light. He feels grass against his cheek. Someone is calling him. Then, someone’s hand comes to grab his shoulder and moving him._

_“Edward, can you hear me. Get up-“_

_“NO! STAY BACK!”  
He steps back and raises his hand trying to punch the attacker._

_“Ed, calm down, it’s Heinkel, what..” he tries to reach the boy once more._

_“Don’t touch me! “ He tries to regualate his breath as he sits. They found him._

_“What day is it?” he forces himself to ask. That's the only thing that matters._

_“February, 17th,..”_

_For the first time in weeks, Edward’s feels something like hope. There was still time, time to save Al, time to stop the homunculi and …then, unexpected, a sudden image clicks into place in his mind. A well know dark haired man, waiting for him to show up.._

_“..Ed, what the hell happened. We’ve been looking for you for so long and..”_

_He stands up slowly, evaluating the gravity of the injuries. He feels good enough to move._

_“Just..don’t touch me please. I don’t wanna talk about it. Now, let’s go. It’s not safe here.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the most difficut chapter I wrote so far. I wanted to share Edward's PoV without making a no-sense puzzle and without giving away more informations than necessary *evil laughing in the backgroung*  
> I hope I did good enough for you to enjoy. Have a nice week.
> 
> (For those who wondered, Amsterdam was great, I visited every vintage clothing shop I was able to find. Found some vynils too. But, good lord, I ordered a cappuccino as soon as I landed. They have tha most expensive prices when it comes to cafès. :P 
> 
> [- 17 days to Halloween]


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yes, I am not dead or disappeared in a never-ending library (which would be a really cool way to do it..)  
> Btw, I apologize for the irregular updates. Blame my job.  
> Bye

They ended up sleeping on the couch, guarded by the fading fire. Roy wakes up slowly and needs a moment to recall everything that happened the night before. He would have bet it was just his imagination, but the most undeniable proof is still asleep on his chest. Roy’s arms are keeping him from falling on the floor. Edward’s hair are loosen and cover the both of them in gold, since the first of rays of sunlight are enlightening the house. One arm is placed under the pillow Roy’s head is resting and the other lays to cover Roy’s right side, the hand gripping his t-shirt. Roy looks at his arms and keeps them still. He is afraid to wake Edward of course. And he would be lying if he said he wasn’t the happiest person ever.  
He never felt like this. At the same time, however, he needs to fight back the urge to go into action. What Edward revealed the night before is terrible and probably not even the entire story. Every other person would be crashed by such an experience, left with nothing. Once more Edward is proving to be so..brave. Not that kind of bravado Roy often had the chance to see during his years spent as Lieutenant and then as Colonel. The capacity to suffer and not just bearing, but fighting back, no matter what.  
Edward’s head slowly moves on his chest, and after a while, he hazards a look toward the older man.  
“Morning” Roy murmurs.

Edward keeps looking at him for a moment, and Roy is not sure if he is thinking about what he told him last night or what, but feels the sudden need to reassure him about whatever it is. He moves one of his arms and comes to cup Edward’s cheek with his hand, brushing it repeatedly with his thumb. 

Edward’s gaze softens even more. Slowly, the younger man stretches enough to kiss him, eyes well open.

“Hi” he concedes finally.

“You hungry?”  
“Maybe” Edward replies, making Roy laugh openly. He likes way too much the feeling of his laughs vibrating through Roy’s chest directly to his hand.  
He smiles without even noticing.  
“I’ll cook” suggests getting up. In fact, since Edward moved in Roy found out alchemy was not his only talent: Edward proved to be a skillful chef. For a while, Roy kept wondering how that was even possible, considering all the travelling he did in the past years. By chance, Edward solved his doubts one evening while preparing dinner.  
_“When Dad left us, I decided to help Mum in everything I could. Dinner, housework and all that stuff. Later, when she fell ill, I managed all of them, mostly. It’s nice to do that again. Mum was an excellent cook, I..sort of learned watching her, I guess”_  
Roy gets up as well and takes his chance to have a shower and to shave. When he comes back, Edward is just placing two big plates full of bacon and beaten eggs on the table.  
“Oh..right, the bread!” Edward comes back, opens one of the shelves and comes back with some baked bread.  
“Where does the bread come from?”  
“The oven?”  
“Did you do it?” Roy asks taking a bite and immediately adding “It’s delicious”  
“Thanks”

“Are you seeing your brother later?”  
“Yeah” he sights, “I am happy to see him, but honestly I’m also worried as fuck. He should have stayed in the East, or everywhere else. Not here.”  
“Edward, how would you react if someone told you to stay away from your brother?”  
Edward’s glare answers the question without words. They come anyway, “I’d like too see them try. But..”  
Roy leans against the chair. “That’s what you are telling him to do. Not with words, but you are avoiding him, and this worries him, as much as it would make you worry. I don’t pretend to tell you how to behave, just…” he brushes his hair pondering his words.  
And Edward got it. For someone like Roy Mustang, Colonel aka political animal and strategical mastermind, caring about an example of perpetual motion like himself was a tough challenge at least. Besides, what he is saying makes sense, somehow. If it was him, he would have behaved so much worse than Al did with him. Even so..  
“I’m sorry “- and Roy frowns as he keeps talking -“I know I am impossible to deal with, but you.. have a point. I need to fix that. Not by telling him..you know. But that doesn’t mean I have to stay away from him. I suppose”  
“You don’t have to apologize. It’s understandable. And I think having your brother around is the best for you. Now we need to hurry up, or we’ll be late. Again” Roy says standing up and moving toward his room.  
“Wait a moment!”  
Roy turns back. Edward is pointing at the table. “First, you are going to clean the table and the kitchen”  
Roy must show all his disbelief for what just happened because Edward growls “What? Can’t believe you have managed so far by yourself..” he says heading for his bedroom wearing a resigned expression.  
“Can’t believe what an adorable housewife you are turning out to be Ed” Roy commented sotto voce, amused.  
“I heard you lazy bastard!” 

 

Obviously, they are late. Hawkeye shoots them with her darkest glare as they enter the office.  
They all spend the morning with paperwork of all sort. Still nothing about the robbery. 

Edward exits the Headquarters a few minutes later than usual – he was supposed to recover his morning delay, damn it – and meets Al right outside.  
“You hungry?”  
“Best feeling in the world, Brother. I can tell”  
And these words alone are worth everything Edward went through for having his little brother’s body back.  
“What would you like to eat?”  
“Surprise me”

Edward choses a little restaurant not far away from the Headquarters and not well known by the military. He found out about it during a rainy day his bones would not hear about heating up. They served him the best soup ever since Mum died. It became his favourite place for lunch.  
The waitress leads them to his usual table and takes the order.

She brings two beers and then she leaves. Edward doesn’t leave his brother a chance to start talking. If he does not take control of the situation, he isn’t sure what he could end up telling-or not telling- him. And he repated his speech in his mind all over the morning to let it go wasted. So..

“You are right” Edward starts talking. “I’ve been an asshole and I’m sorry about it. I should have not avoid you. And I am sorry for all the misunderstanding at the dormitory, too. The fact is..I am not ready to talk to you about it. It’s something..so difficult to face. And I can’t bare you ooking at me any differently because of that. Not if I am not ready myself. I know you are worried but please..would you believe me if I say it’s getting better?”

“Edward listen, I won’t love you any less. That’s not gonna happen.” And Edward exhales in relief. He doesn’t even know why he was doing it in the first place. 

Then Alphonse continues “So..you two have my blessing.”

_Blessing._

“Al, what are you talking about?” Edward blinks, thinking he probably missed something along their conversation.

Alphonse replies fresh as a cucumber “You and the Colonel.”  
And he continues, unaware of the state of shock he got his brother into. “I mean.. .you’ve been a crush on him since forever, it’s not like I didn’t notice. But you are so grumpy sometimes, and I thought I should let you come to your sense by yourself. Seems I was right.. “ says rubbing his jaw. As for Edward’s jaw, it dropped underground as soon as he understood the meaning of what his brother is saying. 

“N- no Al, you..you got it all wrong! What’s between me and..” than sees the look on his brother face and decides to change subject “- it’s not what I was talking about. My problem.” Alphonse gets the meaning of his words and tenses but Edward stops him before he can reply “I promise, I’m working on that, and I am not doing this alone. He is helping me. Please, I won’t be an asshole again but …trust me on this. I just need a little time”

Alphonse stays silent for a while. When he speaks again, his glare is worried but somehow resolute.  
“I trust you on this. But you need to know I am here for you as well.”  
Edward nods without hesitation.

“Well then. And now one last thing.” Al pulls out his best threatening smile “Look me in the eyes and tell me you and Mustang are not a thing.”  
And yes, he could lie, he could deny, or change subject. But he spent too much energy for the conversation and he just gives up. (Not that it feels like a real defeat, after all). He sights and lays his eyes on his -still-empty plate. 

“AH!” his brother lets out before taking a sip of beer and laying back on the seat.  
Edward imitates him. If he were a mosquito he would fly so, so far away in this moment..

“How is he undercover?”

And seriously, Edward will remember this day as the day he almost died chocking on his beer. Or heart attack. Or both of them.  
“YOU SPENT TO MUCH TIME WITH PINAKO, AL!”  
His brother keeps laughing openly.

Edward know his face is burning up. Embarassment is such an understatement right now. He can’t look at his brother anymore.  
They are interrupet by the waitress. She places their dishes and leaves. 

 

“We just..confessed to eachother” he hears himself to admit.

When he looks up again Al is staring at him.  
“What?”  
“Nothing” as he takes another sip “You just blushed. Winry won’t believe it”  
“You better not to tell her anything about it or I won’t forgive you.Ever.” 

However, Al is too busy to gloat to pay attention to his threats.


	13. Chapter 13

“So..” Edward starts speaking again between one bite and another “Your turn, Al. What are you planning to do now?”  
Al chuckles before taking a sip of beer.  
“I am here for two reasons. Other than checking on you – and he ilariously glares at Edward – I am waiting for someone to show up in Central. I have been in contact with May since she left, and I am interested in learning more about alkaestry, so I am thinking about going to Xing..I am sorry I didn’t tell you until now but I was worried you wouldn’t agree and..”  
“Al, it’s fantastic!! Why did you thought that? You absolutely have to do this!” Edward is overexcited. “When are you planning to leave? I mean..you said you are ok but I think you are not one hundred percent yet and travelling alone through the desert..”  
“Yes, yes, we already considered that. In fact, I was waiting for the Xingan delegation to show up. I am going to travel back with them. The Changs are already willing to accept me as..”  
“Wait, wait, a Xingan delegation? Why are they coming?”  
“Didn’t you know? They are going to discuss some trade agreement between Xing and Amestris. Besides, Ling is coming too.”  
“Are you kidding me?”  
“Nope”  
“And you know all of this how?”  
“I told you, May and I..” but his words die as soon as he sees the grins on his brother’s face. He just fell into his trap.  
“Tell me, do you just chat about politics and alkaestry in these letters, or..?”  
“Brother, don’t..”  
“I wonder if Winry knows about these letters.” The sudden panic in Al’s eyes suggested otherwise, “I guess there are a lot of them. Maybe if I ring her now, she could even be able to found some of them, hidden in that hole under the fl..”  
“You wouldn’t..”  
Edward grins at him widely “You keep the secret about me and Roy and I do the same about you and May. Deal”  
Alphonse cannot help rolling his eyes “Fine. Deal. You are horrible”  
“I know” Edward concedes while nibbling at a slice of bread.

They exit the restaurant and walk for a while through the familiar streets of Central. After the Promised Day a lot of blocks have been rebuilt and Alphonse hasn’t seen them yet.  
“That’s..I am impressed.” Al admitted.  
“Yeah..Armstrong is the best when it comes to architectural alchemy, and the others helped too”  
Alphonse secretly suspected his brother’s involvement the moment they passed over a bridge with tiny little skulls all over the railings. 

“By the way, Gracia asked me to tell you that you and Mustang are invited for dinner tomorrow evening. Defections won’t be allowed”  
“Tell her I am looking forward it. We’ll bring the dessert.”  
Alphonse starts laughing openly but stops as soon as Edward punches his shoulder.  
“ ..and I’ll see you tomorrow. Now I have to come back to the office. Thanks. For the lunch.”  
The meaning of that thanks is deeper and they both know it.  
“You’re welcome, Brother. Anytime.”

 

Edward enters the main office and immediately senses something has changed during his absence. Everyone is in the inner office.  
“What’s going on?” he greets the others.  
“Boss.” Havoc welcomes him  
“We opened an anonymous letter a few minutes ago. It was delivered in the morning. It contains a tip-off about the robbery.” Roy explains quickly.  
“About fucking time. Where are they?” Edward asks.  
“The letter informs us about a person who could lead to them and probably knows their plans.” Hawkeye says.  
“If they’re telling the truth, we need to question him. You and Havoc will collect and take him here. I have a meeting to attend. I can’t come with you.”  
If Edward hadn’t spent so much time with him, he would almost miss the note of worryness in Roy’s words. He would rather prefer coming with them, with him.  
“We’ll be right back. Can’t wait to hear what he has to say”  
“Please be careful” Hawkeye adds “There was no postal seal. There is no way to tell where or whom the letter comes from. Whoever it is, they could even have delivered the letter in person.”  
Edward and Havoc both nods.  
“Let’s go Boss”  
Edward is looking at Roy, he keeps the eye contact one second longer than anyone normally would, a silent reassurance that everything is fine. He doesn’t need to worry.  
Then turns his back  
“See you later.”  
Roy can just follow him with his eyes, until he exits the office.  
“Lieutenant, let’s go. I want this meeting over as soon as possible”  
“Yes, sir”

The letter, written with a typewriter, suggests them that a certain Mr.Colmar, owner of the bookshop _Notos_ , is an accomplice of the robbers they were investigating.  
The bookshop is not far away from one of the exit ways of Central, in the suburbs, so they need more than a few minutes to arrive.  
At first look, it would seems closed. Although, the sign OPEN on the door alarms them both.  
“Be careful” Edward mouths to Havoc as they enter the place. The shop itself was turned upside down before their arrival. They immediately the two rooms of the shop without finding anyone.  
“Clear” Havoc says, next to the cash register.  
Edward is looking for clues among the objects on the floor and enters the inner room. The glass showcases have been destroyed and there are bullet marks all over the walls.  
“Seems like they robbed him too in the end” Havoc continues from the other room  
“Mhmh”  
Edward gets on his knees to examine the scattered material. Some alchemical manuals, various documents and drawings. He collects a little book with a shabby purple cover. _Earth-based alchemy. A summary_. This place hardly seems the base camp for a group of robbers. In fact, it seems more likely the scenery of a robbery itself.  
All of sudden, two distinct sounds crack the silence of the shop. One is an almost imperceptible creack on the right, next to an old tapestry; the other is Havoc’s voice in the other room “Shit!”. Edward gets up in a rush, but can’t go far. The attacker is right behind him and hits him with violence on his back. He tries to soften the impact against the floor in vain. The other man hurries to catch him by his ponytail and twist mercilessly his human hand on his back. Edward screams in pain and kicks him in the tibias and manages to unbalance him. However the man doesn’t let go. Instead, tights his grip and slams Edward’s head right against the windowsill. Undinstict sounds come from the next room. Havoc is fighting as well. If one man or more, it’s hardly to tell for Edward, who is trying not to lose consciousness, after a well-aimed blow to the other man’s face with the other hand. The attacker piles it on and kicks him in the stomach with his knee. A whistle from outside draws his attention. He and the man – or men- in the other room beat a retreat.  
Edward is still on the floor. “Havoc?” he calls, maybe too low. What if they finished him off.. Fuck.  
“HAVOC?” he calls again, more loudly.  
“Boss?”  
Thank god.  
Havoc walks in, a little limping. He has cut lips and a cut on his cheek. His nose is bleeding.  
“Oh fuck..no no no! You need to stay exactly where you are” Havoc hurries towards him but Edward is already on his feet. Well, he is helping himself with the nearest table not to fall again. His head is spinning like hell. “I’m fine. What about you?”  
“What about me? They didn’t kill me but the chief will if you die on me. Please just lay down. I’ll call for backup.”  
Obviously, Edward is not going to listen.  
“The fucker who attacked me was in the backshop when we arrived. Behind that tapestry. I wanna see what he was doing in there” and aims for the back room, laying against the wall, just to be sure.  
“Bloody hell” Havoc sights.  
He follows Edward in the back room, which is basically half the room they left behind, a little table on their left, a shelf with papers and some boxes. However, in the middle of the room, on the floor, a chair, probably the chair Mr. Colman used along with the table. And half a meter above the chair Mr.Colman himself is greeting them with hollow eyes, hanging from the ceiling.  
“We are late Boss. Won’t tell us anything now.”  
“Assuming that he knew something in the first place.”  
He gets closer to the table. A sheet of paper is placed in plain view. A note maybe?  
He takes the paper with him, goes next to the door and carefully sits down, back against the wall. His mind barely registers the fact Havoc found a phone and is calling the office for the backup.  
“Yes. No, I don’t know. .Just come over here! He has got blood all over his face and is not listening to me..”  
Edward is looking at the note. He is struggling to read it, let alone focus on the meaning.  


_Through the threads of time_  
_A scarlet promise forged in gold_  
_The forgotten desert flower_  
_Which never whithers_  
_I bring it to you_  


The words sound like some alchemical texts but no one in particular. And he doesn’t know why, but it recall him of something else too. But his head is pumping and the more he tries to focus, the more his eyelids becomes heavy.  
“Edward. Edward, look at me. Don’t you dare close your eyes, do you understand me? You need to stay awake, ok? The others will be here soon”  
“I told you I’m fine. It’s not the first time they slam my head against something.”  
Havoc sights, worried “What is that?” asks, pointing at the paper.  
“A suicide note, apparently.”  
“You don’t believe he killed himself.” It wasn’t a question.  
“Not for a moment. Besides, who would leave a note like this?” he says handing it over to the other man.  
Then they hear the sound of hard braking outside the shop and speedy steps. Havoc is still holding his pistols but relaxes when recognize Riza and the Colonel.  
“What the hell happened..”Roy says walking through the destoyed shop.  
“We’re here chief!” Havoc calls.  
They both hurry up toward the backshop.  
Roy’s eyes speed from Edward to Mr.Colmar’s dead body and vice versa. Havoc anticipates his questions.  
“We found him like this. Got attacked. He might have a concussion chief. His pupils are different sizes, and he almost fell asleep just a moment ago. I asked him to lay down but..”  
"..of course he wouldn’t. Thanks, Havoc. Go with the Lieutenant and let her know everything that happened. I got it here.” Havoc nods and follows Hawkeye outside.  
“Where are you hurt?” Roy rushes at his level, letting out what he is feeling once they are left alone. He cups Edward’s face gently, trying to estimate the seriousness of the injury.  
“I can’t move my hand. I think it’s broken. And..he slammed my head against the windowsill. I feel a little dizzy”  
“Can you stand?” Roy asks. Edward starts getting up but loses balance and risks to fall. Roy catches him.  
“Havoc is right. You need to go to hospital this time.”  
Edward tries again to stand up, but he blacks out again. The next moment he is in Roy’s arms again.  
“Fine..just, don’t leave me with them”  
“Like if I could leave you in this state..”Roy shakes his head in disagreement. “Don’t worry, they will check the injury and then we can return home.”  
He has been nervous all over the meeting with the brass, unable to explain the sense of tension and sickness overcoming him. If he didn’t know better, he would have believed in his grandmother fairy tales about premonitions and omens.  
“That..would be nice” Edward sights.  
“Just hold on a little longer,” Roy says helping him to walk outside “Lieutenant, he needs medical attention. The same goes for him” adds pointing at Havoc.  
“Chief, I am good. I’m sorry..”  
“Get in the car. It’s an order. And stop apologizing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your support (_ _*). And yes, I love mystery. Do you?
> 
> During the next days I am going to write as much as possible in order to be prepared for the next month because I would like to add a few interesting chapters as a present. 
> 
> Until then, please enjoy ^^


	14. Chapter 14

They drove to the hospital without further delays. It has been two hours since the doctor left the room the nurses leaded them to. He said something about keeping him under observation for a while. Edward is super nervous. They all tried to examine his injuries in person, but in the end they only managed to disinfect the cuts and have some x-rays. The hand was broken indeed, so they had to splint it. As for Roy, he never let his side, not for a moment. He dismissed the doctor and nurses’ concern with nonchalance. He would rather prefer having him examined but the x-rays would be enough to exclude any serious damage.

Havoc had already been discharged and returned to the Headquarters.

Hawkeye is waiting outside the hospital.

 “Mr.Elric. General Mustang” the doctor makes his appearance.

Edward tenses more, if it is physically possible.

“I am positive you didn’t suffered any serious damage. Not so lucky about your hand, I’m afraid. Anyway, I prescribed you some pain killers.” He says handing over the paper.

Roy lets out a sight. Thank god.

“You can spend the night here or..”

“No way. I’m leaving” Edward is already moving, impatient as always.

“..or you can go home.” Then, looking at the Colonel “May I suggest a few days of rest? Or a medical leave? Between the hand and the concussion..”

“Thank you very much doctor. Of course. We’ll watch over him.” Roy shakes his hand and follows Edward in the hallway.

“Edward! Edward, wait!” Roy tries to keep the pace. Edward stops and turns to face him properly.

“He told us we can go home” and Roy heart can’t help a flip at those words.

“I know. Just…” he stops because of a nurse passing next to them. When she is far enough, continues “are you sure you are ok? I know he said so but I also know you and if you need..”

“Roy” and Edward has grabbed his coat so he can keep him a little closer “We came. They said it’s ok for me to go home. I wanna go home and I want you to kiss and cuddle me until I feel better. That’s what I need now”.

“I don’t know if the doctor would agree with this prescription.” Then smiles, relaxing a bit for the first time in hours “I do. Let’s go”.

“Who cares about him” Edward concedes.

 

 

Hawkeye drives them home. When they arrive at destination, she arrests the engine and turns to face them.

“Do you want me to call Alphonse about what happened?”

Edward already thought about it. Al would freak out, no matter what. And he is not in the mood to face him. Actually, he is in another mood at all. Maybe it is just because of the adrenaline still running through him, but he can’t think about anything else but Roy. Same at the hospital.

“No, please. He would rush over here and I just need..a little rest.” He hopes his cheeks are not as red as he feels them. If so, Riza is the epitome of discretion.

“Yes, of course. Take care. I’ll go now.”

Then to Roy “See you tomorrow” and once they get off she leaves.

They cross the garden in silence. Roy opens the door and lets Edward in first.

Edward sights in relief. The door closes.

“Finally..” but his words are stopped. Roy just hugged him from behind and immobilized him from further movements. He turns to face him but Roy doesn’t let go entirely.

“Roy, what..”

“I couldn’t.” Roy says right in his ear “I couldn’t come with you at the library, I couldn’t hug you at the hospital, I couldn’t show how worried I was and it was driving me crazy” he kisses him on the cheek, then keeps brushing his lips down to Edward’s mouth. His kisses are desperate. He lost any control he might have the moment they came in. After a few minutes, Roy lets go and adds “Forgive me”.

“It’s not your fault, no one could possibly..” Edward tries to dismiss the issue, but Roy shuts him up. “I should have..”

“No. And you can’t control everything. Yes, I was injured. But I am here now. Stop whatever this is right now or I’m gonna give you a concussion.” Edward angrily replies.  And the other can’t do anything but nod.

“Now, what are you gonna do about _my_ concussion?” he adds, just pretending to be still disappointed by Roy’s behaviour.

Roy’s eyes sparkle mischievously.

“Well” and that said he gently pushes a now smiling Edward against the wall, his hands on his hips.

He captures Edward’s lips in a –this time- languid series of kisses and when he needs breathing, he assaults his neck instead. And Edward can’t really complain anymore.

He grabs Roy’s neck and draws him closer while responding fiercely to the kisses. He always prefers actions over words. _I’m not made of crystal, you know?_

 Then bites Roy’s lower lip, maybe too hard, but it just seems the right thing to do. Roy lets out a surprised breath and he is all over Edward again, which should be a little uncomfortable since Roy is filling his horizon, but the reality says them otherwise.

In fact, with no room to misunderstanding, they are far too aware of each other arousal.     

“Uhm..sorry” Roy steps back enough for Edward to see his cheeks flushed and his eyes shiny with excitement. “I didn’t mean to.. I just..”

“Yeah. Me too.”

At Roy’s raised eyebrow, he hurries to murmurs, looking away “Don’t give me that look” and Roy grins.

“Dinner?”

“Yes, please. It seems ages since I had lunch with Al”

The moment is gone. However, the desire between them is undeniable. In fact, it kept raising for a long time and after the other night it just exploded in their faces. But they had a long day and there is no need to push things.

Roy lightly kisses Edward, “I cook, you wait for me outside?”   

Edward rolls his eyes “There are some sandwiches left, they’ll do just fine”

“Didn’t you mention cuddle? This is cuddling. It won’t take long. Go.” says as they enter the kitchen.

“Then surprise me” Edward provokes him, exiting on the garden.

 

 

The first morning Edward spent in the house he was enraptured when he found out the garden on the back of the property. High stonewalls as enclosure, and half an acre of grass, trees and peace.

If he didn’t already know this was Central City he would bet he was in the countryside.

“Wow..”

“Yeah” Roy was right behind him, “that’s what I thought when I saw the house for the first time. I fell for it.”

“Countryside lover, uh?”

“It recalls me of my childhood. I used to run through the fields everyday. It’s nice having it here. Sometimes I feel like I’m suffocating”

Edward thought he never heard Roy talking about his past. But there was sadness in his voice, a shade of grief he recognized immediately. Probably Roy could read his mind, because continued “I used to live in the countryside, not far from Central. When I was five my parents died and my aunt, who lives in Central, took me in.“

“I’m sorry”

Roy smiled briefly but didn’t reply as he continued “When I came back here, after the promotion, I bought the house. It is far too big for just one person but, as I said, I couldn’t help myself” and lets out a little sigh, shrugging the shoulders. “At least, now you can enjoy it, too.”

And Edward took him at his words.

Now he is waiting for Roy – and for food – but he spent here a few hours every day since he moved in. Most of the time he reads, sometimes simply walks or takes a nap under a tree. There were moment, while he was travelling with Al or simply after what happened to him, when he thought he would never be able to feel himself home again, nowhere. Until now..

“What are you thinking about?” Roy wakes him up from his thoughts.

“Nothing” he lies. “Where is my food?”

“Here you go” Roy replies handing him over a dish of pasta. They both sit down on the patio in front of the garden and eat.

“How are you feeling now?”

“I’m f-ne” Edward manages to grumble, “actually, I started to feel better the moment you showed up at the shop, so..” he admits a little embarrassed.

“I know I am the best panacea, but you should take some of those pain-killers anyway”

“AH! Don’t get ahead of yourself now. And no pain-killers, I don’t get along well with drugs”

And Roy thinks about the scars, adding one more little information to the puzzle. He decides to change subject. “How did it go with Alphonse?”

“Great. I spoke with him, apologized for being a jerk and even if I didn’t told him everything I reassured him.” Edward thinks about his brother’s blessings and decides to skip that part. “Also, Gracia invited us for dinner tomorrow evening. In that ok?”

“Yes of course. I can’t visit her as often as I would. She is amazing”

“Yeah, she really is”

“Anything else?” Roy asks nonchalantly.

Edward knows that Roy suspects something but is not going to tell him that his little brother ships them since forever because, seriously, he can’t cope with that.

“Yeah, I found out what he is up to. He wants to study alkaestry, which is amazing, really. Do you know their alchemy works differently, right?  He and May have been planning this all along.”

Edward is literally gloating..

“You are terrible” Roy states while finishing his portion.

“WHY?”

“You have already chose your nephiews’ names, haven’t you?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about..” Edward grumbles.

Roy is staring at him with such a disapproving glare he gives up pretending in about two seconds. “They are PERFECT for each other. No, I didn’t choose their names. However, I’ll be extremely disappointed if they don’t get engaged within the year.”

“Is she coming here to teach him?”

 “Nope. He is going to travel back with some Xingans coming in Central..”

“The delegation?”  Roy is looking at him with an interested look.

“Did you know they were coming? Of course you did. And Ling is with them. That stupid.” Edward would have denied no matter what but it is clear he misses his friend and is happy to see him again.

On the other hand, Roy just found his excuse.

“Why don’t you invite him over, too? I am sure Gracia wouldn’t mind, and you both could catch up with him.”

“That’s…it would be great. But we need to call Gracia first. And bring a double dessert for making up .”

“What for?”

“You never saw Ling eating” the other answers, deadly serious.

“I saw you and..”

“Don’t you fucking dare, you bastard. You’ll see him by yourself”

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Solstice everyone! *w*  
> I will check the typos etc tomorrow (sleepy--), I hope you'll enjoy. 
> 
> There will be not updates during the next days, due to holidays (people got crazy about Christmas and I spend my days trying to help them to choose their gifts, tough job u.u). See you the Next Year!
> 
> *The description of the flower in this chapter was taken from Wikipedia's page for Hibiscus, if you wondered.*  
> *I don't own Wikipedia, I don't own hibiscus. But I am grateful for Wikipedia. And I like hibiscus. Bye*

The next day Roy leaves for the office without waking up Ed. He hopes he made himself clear enough the night before, when he practically _ordered_ him to stay home and rest.

Edward fell asleep on the couch soon after dinner. Roy gently kissed his temple as whispered “You need to rest, come on. Bed” and he was dragging him by a sleeve down the hallway. Edward stopped before they could reach the guests’ bedroom, now his own.

_“Listen..can I.. can we..shit, I’m not good at this..” he waved his hand toward Roy’s bedroom._

_“Come on” Roy told him and they both slept in Roy’s bedroom._

It’s not like Roy didn’t think about it already. He was just worried to ask. In his mind, he imagined such a request, as much as polite, could make Edward feel obliged. Or something like that. Instead they were both ready. Maybe he was the one to be constantly –and uselessly- worried.

Enough to say, he couldn’t remember the last time he slept so well. Probably never. Just the two of them and the warmth of the mutual closeness. If felt like living out of time and space. He spent some time just watching him sleeping before getting up silently.

 

 

When he arrives at the office, it is still empty so he doesn’t waste time and makes coffee for them all. In fact, it is going to be a long day. He is still drinking his cup when the door opens.

“Sir, you are early”. It’s Riza.

“Lieutenant” he greets her “Coffee?”

She nods and joins him “How is he?”

“I told him to stay home and rest. I hope he’ll listen. He’s fine, but he won’t be on the field for a while” says waving his hand as explanation. She nods in understatement.

“And how are you sir?”

He lets out a sight but doesn’t manage much more since the others are coming in.

“Gentlemen, here is some coffee. Thought we could use a cup before getting started.” Then to Havoc “How do you feel?”

“I’m ok, Chief. How is the Boss? “

“As unsufferable as always, so..” he smiles briefly.

Havoc laughs. “Glad to hear that!”

They gather around the Lieutenant’s desk, now covered with every paper, clue and report they have at the moment about the robbery and the attack at the bookshop.

It’s Roy who speaks first, “I want to know who Mr.Colmar was, who knew him, family, interests, everything we can get. Then, anything about the attackers. We need to find out if they are the same men of the robbery. If not, who are they? Lastly, how the letter arrived here, in the office.“ 

 _And why_. The most important question, he keeps for himself.

All of them agree with him, “Copy that, sir”

They start to organize each one’s area of investigation, as Hawkeye asks “Do you think they are linked? The robbery and what happened at the shop?”

He weights the question, “I think they could be. Although, except for the letter, I have not elements to confirm that, yet. Just a hunch.”

“Then there is something we agree on.” Both of them turn toward the door, where Edward stands.

Roy rolls his eyes. “You are supposed to rest.”

“I’ll stay on the couch.”

The others chat with Edward about the day before, then they get back to work. Edward joins Roy in the inner office.

“You should be home and you know that” Roy states as the other lays on the couch.

“Yeah. And you shouldn’t have snuck off this morning”, he mocks. “I am good. I can’t perform alchemy or beat someone, but there is something else I can do. I’ll check some text at the library and see if I find out what that message is about.”

“With everything that happened yesterday, I haven’t had the chance to read it yet.”

“Well, I’ll let you know as soon as I understand it.” He gets up from the couch.

“Ed” Roy calls him back “If you feel tired, or anything, please let me know.”

“Stop worrying, you _sap_ ” Edward whispers grinning. Roy huffs and comes back to the files.

“Wasn’t it _bastard_?” Roy is smiling.

“Same” Edward concedes. Before leaving, he stops and talks with Hawkeye and Breda in the other room.

 

 

 

_The genus is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are renowned for their large, showy flowers and .. .  used as landscape shrubs, and are used to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds… . .large, conspicuous, trumpet-shaped, with five or more petals, color from white to pink, red, orange, peach, yellow or purple,and_

He closes the book in an excess of frustration.

It has been hours since he started and he found nothing. He stares one more time at the copy of the message he found next to Colmar. Truth to be told, the words kept echoing in his head since he red them at the bookshop, like a fucking mantra. It has to be the concussion. Moreover, he spent the last few hours going through every possible reference about gold, flowers and so. Nothing interesting popped up.

He would bet. This has to be alchemy-related. After all, why would he remember having heard something like that before, otherwise? Moreover, the bookshop was mostly specialized in alchemic manuals, so it was possible. 

 He opened another book, but after a few minutes, he was staring again in the air, repeating those words voiceless.

 

 

 

The others kept working all day on the info they already had and gathered others as well.

“Chief” Havoc announces at some point in the afternoon, after a call, “It was the doctor. Edward was right, this is not suicide. According to the report, it’s not credible. They did hang him. Whoever they are.” Edward already confirmed them they were not among those men at the bank, before leaving.

“So”, Roy tries to summarize what they have up until now, “We know the attacker at the shop are not the same men of the robbery. And there is nothing to suggest what kind of connection there was between them and the victim. Therefore, it is probable the two cases are not related at all and the person who wrote the letter was aiming to lure us into their trap by mentioning the robbery we were already working on. ”

Falman  replies “Yes, sir. Besides, we are still checking if they took something valuable from the shop. Difficult to say, without Colmar. As far as we know, he had a boring life, no friends. He had contacts all through the country because of his activity, but nothing more.”

“Interesting. Edward said the robbers had some Cretan accent. Maybe he helped them to get here, or they blackmailed him somehow..And what about the letter?”

Hawkeye grimaces “A dead end, unfortunately. If they entered the Headquarters _and_ they came up until our floor to deliver the letter in order to deliver it straight to us..they are good. Good enough to leave uncaught.”  

“We’ll need to increase the surveillance within our floor. In the end, all we have is the message Mr.Colmar -or his killers- left for us. I believe Edward will get his head around it eventually. In the meanwhile..”

Roy’s words are abruptly ended by the sound of yelling getting closer to their door.

“I don’t think you should..”

“Like I fucking care!” The door opens, and everyone tenses as the two chimeras Heinkel and Darius make their appearance. Darius doesn’t waste time and march toward the Colonel. Hawkeye is already moving but Roy thinks better and holds her back by his side. “What happened?! Where is he?”

“Guys, I think you should take a break. Lieutenant, please close the door as you go” Roy says, his voice like steel.

The others tense but oblige without a word. The door closes behind them.

“Colonel, we..” Heinkel starts.

“Shut up!” the other chimera shouts, turning to face Mustang again, “We heard he got injured and went to the hospital. Where is he now?” and he is grabbing Roy’s jacket, “This is how you protect him!?”

If it were anyone else, they would have already react to the chimera’s provocation with their fists. However, right now Roy has more incisive weapons at his disposal. Besides, he has been waiting this moment and he has no intention to restrain himself.

“You want to talk about protection” he says angrily “tell me what happened the night Edward was kidnapped”. Darius eyes go wide. “How did it go? Or is it a secret?” he continues, eyeing at Heinkel. Then he shakes off the other’s hands and raises la voce “ He was vulnerable and you let them take him just because of your wounded pride. “And Darius shouts “You have no idea..”

But Roy’s voice stands above his.

“Oh, I have a theory. You proposed to him and got a refusal instead. Isn’t it? And you _bloody_ left.”

He has just finished talking when Darius’ punch hits his jaw.

“Darius!!” Heinkel grabs him firmly. He pushes him away from Roy before a second punch completes his trajectory, “Is it true?”

“Of course it is.” Roy can’t help himself. Darius is looking at him with undisguised hate.

“I asked him to be mine. We were on the run. We cared for him. I cared for him. So I confronted him while we were alone. “His glare comes back to Roy, “He told me he wouldn’t. That he had priorities, like his brother. I insisted. And he started talking about how he wanted to keep serving under you.. and that he was going to come back to you as soon as he could... and I lost it. I told him he was a fool, that you were just using him.”

Roy addresses to Heinkel “Edward got injured but he is fine now. I appreciate your interest.” And than to Darius “On the other hand, your attentions are not required anymore.”

It takes a moment for the chimera to understand what Roy is implying. “You..    

“I want this to be clear. I will tolerate tha fact that Edward still considers you as a friend. And I don’t care if we are going to work together in the future. But I won’t stand anything else. If you don’t care about my treats, than think about it as what Edward decided. Respect his choice.”

Darius stills, than lowers his head. He exits the room without further words.

“Thank you” Roy hears Heinkel say. He raises an eyebrow, questioning the choice of words of the other man.

“He is lost. Maybe now he will start to heal. And forget him. Also, thank you for helping Edward. He deserves it.” He lowers his head in gratitude and follows the friend outside.

 

 

 

“Found you” Edward hears someone say. He raises his head from the book he is reading.

Roy is walking toward him through the empty library. He has changed into civilian clothing.

“What the hell!?” Edward rushes in his direction, looking at his face.

_Oh, right. The punch._

“Don’t worry, it will be back to his splendour, within a couple of days” Roy minimizes.

“What did you do?” It was usually him who got into fights, not Roy.

“I had some business to handle..like..literally.”

Edward grimaces “I am having such a bad influence on you.”

Roy laughs. “Come on. We can debate about your bad influence on our way to Gracia’s”

Edward jumps “I didn’t realized it was that late”

”Of course you didn’t. Every time you come down here..”

“Don’t. Besides I have searched almost half library, so I had good reasons.”

They head outside while talking. “Did you found out what does it mean?” Roy asks. He himself examined the message during the afternoon but it could have been anything.

“No, and believe me, I went through all sort of botanical, alchemical and poetry stuff. No match. Even so, I am sure I heard something like that before. I am going to show it to Al. Maybe he can help.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“Mhm.”

They walk for a couple of minutes. “Ah, there it is!” Edward speeds up his pace pointing at a small shop with a pastel wooden frame. The door keeps opening and closing at the sound of a brass bell. “This place makes the best pastries ever. Let’s go.” And saying so, he grabs the other’s hand and rushes across the street.

“We could bring some pastries and a cake. Maybe two cakes is better. Or two cakes and some pastries..” Edward thinks out loud looking at the shop window. He is suddenly aware he is still hand-in-hand with Roy. He stops and turns to look up at him. And _of course_ Roy is wearing is worst sappy face ever. He lowers his eyes, feeling his face burn. But his hand doesn’t want to move. The traitor. “L-Let’s go inside.” He manages to say.

 

 

They choose the cake and the pastries – a lot of them – and exit the shop with two small paper bags. “

“I didn’t even know they had so many different types of cake!” Edward admits, ”We have to come back and buy the one with the raspberry and the mint cream”. Roy can’t help a grin, “That’s what you said two secs ago about the one with chocolate and almond cookies. Which will be the one, by the way.”

“Ah! I knew, the moment she said _almond_ , she got you! The old lady knows his job. She understood your weak spots immediately.”

“Now that you are mentioning, I should take her as my advisor..”

“Yeah, and you would end up a happy fatty Fuhrer.” Edward laughs.

Roy sights theatrically “This means we will end up here squandering all our money in pastries, muffins and cakes. Since my life as Fuhrer will be not that happy. Nor I will be fatty. Besides, you are the one who ended up buying a cupcake and eating it right now.”

They are walking down the streets, the first lamppost lightening up.

“You don’t understand! He was _calling_ my name..I could not ignore him.”

Roy is looking at him, pensive. “Yeah, about ignoring..” and saying so, he lowers down to reach a spot right next to Edward’s upper lip, and lapping it. Cream.

Enough to say, the move was very well calculated and completely mesmerizes Edward, leaving him speechless and quite trilled.

“That muffin was calling me, too.”


	16. Chapter 16

They are both in front of Gracia’s apartment. Roy knocks at the door as Edward puts himself behind him, trying to hide the bandaged arm on his chest.

“It won’t save you from your brother, I’m afraid”. Sometimes it comes to think Roy can read his fucking mind.

“It won’t hurt to try.” Edward says.

Al is the one opening the door.

“Good evening Alphonse.” Roy greets with a genuine smile.

“Hi!” Edward waves the metal hand while his brother’s eyes fix on the bandages. Gracia is right behind him.

“Edward! Roy! We are so happy to have you over for dinner. Please, come in, Elycia will be here in a moment” she goes back down the aisle.

 “What the hell happened?” Alphonse says in an angrily tone. However, his eyes are betraying a certain amount of concern.

“Well..” Edward starts but interrupts himself the moment he senses something behind him. Someone.

“Helloo boys!!!”. It’s Ling.

Edward rolls his eyes. “I hoped you were going to let us down.”

“Well, _your brother_ has been so kind to invite me that I couldn’t say no _to him_. And you know what I think about free food, so..” Gracia comes back from the kitchen to welcome the Xingan.

“You must be Ling, Ed and Al’s friend”. He surpasses both Edward and Roy.

“Yes Mrs. Huges –he says bowing- and thank you very much for accepting me in your house”.

Gracia laughs “No need to be so formal. You are among friends. Come in.” She disappears again into the house.

“Edward, what happened to you by the way?” Ling asks candidly. He seems to be rather uninterested in Roy’s presence.

“Yes, Edward. _What happened_?” Alphonse glares at him.

“Fine, both of you. Let’s go inside. We can talk over dinner.” Edward huffs and pushes the both of them inside. Then turns back just to be sure Roy is following them. And grins.

“Mum, uncle Roy bought cakes!” they hear Elycia say.

 

 

 

 “This roast is amazing. What did you use?” Edward asks Gracia while the others chat over dinner.

“Some rosemary and sesame.” “Oh, that’s it! I usually use laurel.” “I never tried it-”

Roy intervenes, “Such a pity I am the only one cooking at the moment”.

Edward sticks out his tongue in response, Gracia and the others laughing.

“You still have to tell us what happened Brother” Alphonse adds. He doesn’t seem angry anymore. Small victories.

“I was working, got into a fight. I broke my hand”, he explains in a flat tone.

“We got that much, thank you” Alphonse replies. Then to Roy, “How bad was he?”

Roy sights, “We had him checked for any sign of concussion. The hand is broken indeed. The bruises, you can see. He is on medical leave, officially” He tries to sound reassuring. He gets a raised eyebrow in response.

Edward tries to change the subject and asks Ling “How is everyone in Xing? Aren’t you Emperor yet?”

Ling smiles “Ahah, you are so amusing. They are fine. May has been over her head since your brother agreed to come in Xing. She is spending every day at the Imperial Library in the Fortress. Which reminds me, you are a bookaholic. You should absolutely come along with him and take your chance to visit the library. There are the most valuable books, and also..”

“I think I’ll pass, for now. I …– he really shouldn’t be looking at Roy right now – .. am rather busy. But I’ll keep that in mind, thanks”.

Alphonse is smiling maliciously in front of him. He kicks him from under the table.

“Brother, this reminds me.. Winry asked me to _yell at him for being an asshole who never writes or phones her because he is too busy_ , her exact words. Also, I have a present upstairs for you. From her and Granny. And other things from back home.”

Edward rolls his eyes.

Gracia speaks “You guys go upstairs, while I and Elycia clean the table. When you come back we’ll have the dessert”.

They both nod, standing up “Thank you. We’ll be right back”.

 

 

Roy and Ling are left alone. It is Ling who speak first. “It seem you’ll finally have your chance to talk with me, Colonel. Balcony?” he asks smiling.

“After you” Roy says standing up himself.

 

 

 

“You really should ring her every now and then, Brother. She worries.”

Edward skips the question, making another one instead “How are they?”

“Fine. Granny caught a bad influence two months ago but she is as strong as ever. Winry comes back frequently, but I think she will move in Rush Valley eventually. ”

“Mhm..”

“And you definitely should phone me if something like this happens.” He is more serious now. “How is it that I had to find out it like this? I bet the others suggested to call me and..”

“And I refused. I was _\- I am_ fine and there was no need to freak out.” Alphonse sights.

They enter the guest’s room. On the desk there is a wrapped bottle with a card. “What is it?”

“ _Your present_ ” Alphonse holds back a laugh.

Edward unwraps the present excited, while his brother goes searching something else in the luggage below the bed.

The bottle is not wine as he expected, or liquor. It is automail maintenance oil.

“I can’t believe it. She sent me _this_?”

“She was in Rush valley when I left. She asked Granny to do it. And I had to write down the card.” Edward picks up the little letter to read it.

 

_You stupid never phone! I hope my automails are fine or I’ll crack your head open the next time you show up. Use the oil. Hope to see you soon. Winry_

 

“She is absurd” Edward shakes his head but can’t deny to be sorry for not having called her in a while. He raises his head. Alphonse is still a few steps away, having found whatever he was looking for in the luggage. He seems very nervous as he comes closer.

 “Granny gave me something else, too. She gave them to me a while ago but there hasn’t been the chance yet. Please, I know your feelings, but I already red mine, so please consider reading yours instead of ..destroying it without even opening it.” He sights and hands him over a shabby letter.

He doesn’t need to ask who it comes from. He would recognize his father’s handwriting anywhere. Both anger and sadness rush through him.

Alphonse adds, “Granny found them in the letterbox, the day he got back home after the battle. He must have mailed them right before going to visit Mum’s grave…”. _Right before he died._

“Actually, mine was a little lighter than yours. I guess he needed more paper to get to you” says, shrugging his shoulders.

Edward is turning the letter over in his hands, deep in thoughts.

“I won’t destroy it, don’t worry. I really am too busy at the moment, even for this asshole.”

“What’s going on?”

He rubs his neck “Two cases. They may are related. We don’t know for sure yet. I was searching a bookshop with Havoc when we got attacked. They killed the man we were looking for before we got there, I think.”

“You think?”

“It seems suicide. I don’t believe it. Speaking of which, I need your help with something. The man we were looking for, he left a suicide note. The fact is - says pulling out a copy of the message - it doesn’t seems a note at all. Take a look.”

He pull out the copy from his pocket, handing it over to Al. He goes sitting down on the bed as he continues, “I spent the day at the library looking for alchemical references. Found nothing, though. The words keep echoing in my head since I red them yesterday. I’m pretty sure I heard them before, but I can’t recall where. Got any idea?”

Alphonse is examining the text, frowning. “I don’t know. It could be an alchemical . Even so..” Suddenly stops talking and comes back to the message, reading it one more time. His mouth opens in disbelief.

“Al? What is it?”

“I..I just remembered something”

“Do you know where it comes from?”

“No.” He waits a moment, then goes sitting on the chair next to the desk.

 “I .. red these words before. They were slightly different but..”

“Al, if you don’t start talking I’m gonna punch you, seriously”

Al sights, “I’m just saying maybe they are not related at all”, but his face is suggesting the exact opposite.

“One day, when Dad already left, I was playing in Mum’s bedroom..”

At Ed’s frowning he adds “Just..listen,ok?”

Then continues, “You were at the market with Granny and Winry, I think. She was reading a book and when I jumped on the bed it fell on the floor. There was a letter in it.” He waits a moment, like if he is trying to focus on the memories,  “I took it and red the first words. I handed it over to Mum and she smiled.” Alphonse also smiles a little, recalling it.

 “I asked her what it was and she said it was a letter our father wrote to her time ago.”

“How is this related to..”

“The letter. Dad referred to Mum mas his _scarlet flower_. I asked her and she said it was something he liked calling her after. I asked her why..” but he didn’t continued.

“And?”   

“She told me it was something like a _promise_.”

Silent fell between them for a while, both evaluating this information.

“I know, maybe it is just a coincidence. And I didn’t remember any of it, not until I red these words..”

Edward got up from the bed and started walking back and forth, in front of his brother. “Whenthefuckever a coincidence is just a coincidence when we are involved?”

“I got your Lieutenant’s message. She didn’t say what you were interested in, but I get that has to do with Edward”, Ling says.

“Yes, it is. You travelled with him and the chimeras. Are you aware he has had anxiety problems since then?”

“Of course I do. At the time I wasn’t entirely me, Greed was within me. But I remember the first time he got an attack. And all the other times after that.” He is looking at Roy, searching for his reactions.

“I see.” He gives himself a moment to assimilate it. “Do you know what trigged them in the first place?”

“Nope. When I joined them I wondered about it as well. I ..I mean, _Greed_ questioned Heinkel and Darius about it but they didn’t know either. I see you asked them as well. I recognize the signature” adds pointing at his own jaw. Roy nods in confirmation.

Ling turns to contemplate Central’s skyline, avoiding Roy’s glare. “I also understand that your attentions towards him are deeper than between any other military employees.” There is no judgement in the statement but neither approval. He is quite good at reading people and probably is also aware of Darius’s interest. What he is able to deduce from Roy -or Edward- it is more difficult to say.

Roy has no particular reasons to trust him, but he has proved to be a loyal friend to both Edward and Alphonse. Other than that, he would like to gain his trust as well. And sometimes the best thing is choosing the hard way. He weights his next words very carefully. “In the beginning I was just willing to help him. Then I found out he was being spied by someone. The following events just made our feelings surface. Do you think I am using him?”

Ling lashes back in a harsh tone, “I don’t wanna see a good friend suffering for having his heart broken. He deserves something good after all he went through. If you are going to make him happy, we are good.” He keeps his eyes fixed on the other man, waiting for an answer.

“I want to”, he pledges.

The Xingan relaxes a bit. “Good. You asked me about the time I spent with him. Then you should know all of it. We kept moving in order to escape the military sifting and not to get caught before the eclipse. I think you already know that. However, during all our movements, we have been followed, constantly. I don’t know who could have been. Greed never sensed the homunculi’s presence, so we.. _he_ never worried too much.  They just kept track of us, never engaged, never got too close to be a treat. Greed wondered who they could be – what could they want - but never bothered enough to find out. ”

Roy can’t help a shiver hearing this. His worst hypothesis confirmed. Someone was spying on Edward. Why?

“I found some bugs in his room when we..moved his things. I hoped it was a coincidence, at least something recent. If what you are saying..” he represses an imprecation.

“Has he enemies? Rivals?”

“I don’t know. I mean, it’s Edward. Anyone would wish half his alchemical or intellectual talent. And half of them, he could have pissed them off. But we are on another level here.”

“Colonel, never underestimate a man’s deepest desire.”

Roy is about to reply when Alphonse looks out from the dining room and addresses him. “Sir, I think we have a problem with Brother”, and comes back inside motioning his head to make them move.

 

 

They both hurried back inside. Roy looks for Edward. “Ed?”

The _young and brilliant_ alchemist is on the sofa with a dish full of cake and another one of pastries has been placed on the table in front of him. “Where were you guys? I’m already eatin’ - third slice.” He grumbles, chocolate and cream all over his face.

“Please stop him” Alphonse begs pointing at the other Elric.

Roy covers his eyes in an exaggerated show of disappointment. “You are hopeless..”

“YOU ARE A TRAITOR!” Ling screams and jumps on the sofa, assaulting Ed’s portion of pastries.

“Good Lord” Alphonse says more to himself than to Roy, who is attending speechless.

Ling demands _his portion of Heaven_ between a Xingan imprecation and a thanks to Gracia for the cake. Edward keeps gulping down both cake and pastries while cursing at him for the intrusion.

Gracia addresses him, still laughing “Roy, would you like a pastry?”

He is still looking at them fighting over a puff pastry when he answers.

“I think I’ll pass.”

Which makes Gracia laugh even more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!


	17. Chapter 17

“We should really go now” Roy says at some point in the evening. Ling made his excuses as soon as he finished the cake. And they don’t want to bother Gracia further. Elycia is in her bed already.

“Please stay a little longer” She tempts them.

“I really appreciate the offer but it has been a very long day so..” Edward adds as excuse.

“That means you will come over another time soon.” The woman offers as both of them laugh.

“You two first. You have to try Edward’s cooking once he’s healed, right?”

“Sure thing” Edward confirms.

“What about me Brother?” Alphonse is looking at him with puppy eyes.

Edward pretends to think about it for a moment.

“If you behave” says then, smiling openly at him.

“I promise!”

Roy has already stood up from the sofa they were both sit on. He is getting up himself when his head decides to mess up with him. A flash rushes in front of his eyes for an instant.

_Promise_

“Brother!” 

Roy grabs his arm to stabilize him and squeezes his shoulder to get his attention. “Edward?”

“I’m fine” he tries to shake him off gently. “I am just sleepy”.

Roy looks him in the eyes for a moment, then speaks keeping eye contact, “Alphonse, would you mind calling a cab for me and your brother? I think he walked enough for today”.

Edward is ready to fight back but Roy is definitely able to read his mind, because is shaking his head in admonishment.

 

 

 

 They get dressed, make all the greetings and exit the building. The street is almost desert. A few couples walking make exception.

“We could have go home walking” Edward complains, looking for the taxi. There is just a grey car parked two blocks away. He keeps walking back and forward in front of the other man. . “It’s already been five minutes.”

Roy steps in front of him, filling his view and making him stop, one hand on his shoulder. “Now look me in the eye and tell me, honestly, if you were dizzy or it was just drowsiness.” Edward stills for a moment then lowers his eyes and confesses. “It wasn’t. That doesn’t mean I can’t walk, though!”

Roy ruffles his hair as an answer. “ _That means_ I have to watch out for you, you idiot”. Instead of withdrawing his hand, he moves it down to Edward’s neckline as he lowers just a little bit and makes their lips collide.

Edward gives up whatever insult he might be about to express and rests his metal hand on Roy’s chest.  Edward is learning to catalogue the different shades of their kisses. Those saying “I want more” or “I need you”. Those whispering “Good morning” or “Don’t be angry at me”. Also, this one, simply saying “I am here”. He likes it the most.     

They distances a little, smiling at each other. Roy’s eyes look past him, down the street, the taxi finally approaching.

“It’s here, let’s go” he confirms, leading the way as the vehicle stops a few steps away.

Edward is following him when he turns back suddenly, his attention driven by something next to one of the alleys.

Roy is getting in, but stops. “What is it?”

Edward turns back at him and shakes his head. “I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye but it was nothing”.

They both get in and the taxi leaves.

The street comes back to silence for a while. Until someone exit that same alley and vanishes himself, whispering to the shadows.

“See you soon.”

 

 

 

“By the way, I never had the chance to ask you what you were working on before all of this. That day at the library you told me you were reading about Creta but you never told me what it was about.” Roy asks him out of nowhere. They are getting prepared for bed. Finally.

If he thinks about what happened during the last hours, it really feels like the longest day ever.

“Uhm, yeah.. the Investigation Division came up with some tips about an illicit traffic having links to Creta. They thought it was about smuggling ancient artifacts, until someone died while handling them. They asked for an alchemical expert and the Furher suggested for me to step in..”

“And you solved it.”

“Not yet. I have to wait. They are going to pack everything up and send it in Central. It will take a while..”

“I see. That’s interesting. Probably everybody else is looking forward such an opportunity.”

“I don’t think so. It probably is some stupid playing with things they don’t understand and making a fucking mess. And if I can’t solve the problem from here, I will have to go there. And automails suck with sand.” He complains, laying on the bed.

“I see” Roy joins him after turning off the lights. The moon light Leaves the room in dim light.

 

Edward turns on his side. “Did you and Ling bonded a little bit? Did you smoke cigars while we were gone?”

The darkness vibrates with the sound of a low, rich laugh. “Is that what you think of me? A political smoking cigarettes and drinking bourbon?”

“Mhm, maybe.” Roy can tell from his tone that he is mocking him. “I need to keep an eye on you”

“Then I am a lucky man”. And he means it.  

 “Don’t know. I mean, I am the lucky one here.” Edward replies, curiously.

“What are you talking about?” Roy asks raising the head from the pillow.

 

“What I said – he replies embarrassed - I am not the handsome ladies’man- colonel here. Besides..”

Roy cups his cheek and starts talking quietly. “Despite my reputation, I didn’t have many opportunities to be a _ladies’ man_.” Edward huffs but he ignores him. “I studied alchemy. Then I joined the military and the war was over us. And after that I dedicated myself to work..” He moves a little closer.

Edward shakes his head “It’s not that. I mean, it not _just_ that. I am glad. To be here, with you. Yesterday, when I was fighting I realized I have something to loose. I told myself _‘Really? Two weeks is everything you can ask for yourself?’_ – he pauses for a second – It shocked me.”

 

Roy’s hand has frozen on his neck as he listened. He starts moving it silently, looking for the right words.     

 “That night at the hotel, when you called my name, you cast a spell on me.”  He brushes Edward’s chin from the temple to the jaw back and forth. “I was floating in the darkness without knowing it, and your light hooked my heart.“ He takes the deepest breath of his life and continues, “I love you, more and more. And I can’t imagine a world without you.”

 

Edward doesn’t reply immediately. The silence fills the space between them.

 “Don’t move” Edward murmurs at last, in a half-broken voice. Roy can’t see through the darkness surrounding them but he can _feel_ the other’s eyes fixed on him. He is moving. Is he climbing him over to get up?

 

Edward’s hair are gently brushing against his face.

Roy doesn’t understand. Is it for what he said? Did he get mad? He is about to reply something when his mouth goes dry.

Edward has just rubbed himself against him, as if he was trying it out. Very slowly. And rather intentionally. 

Then, again.

_“Edward”_

 

One of his hands comes to rest on Edward’s side. The younger man lets out a breath and ignores him.

 “I have been in love with you since the day I promised you those 520 cents. Maybe before. And I didn’t know..but I’ve been waiting… all this time. All this time and it was you.. . ah, and .. ” the pleasure stops for a moment the flow of his words. Roy can feel his erection against him. And Edward can probably feel his own. “And there couldn’t be anybody else..ever..” his voice is cracking.

Roy gently pushes him aside to invert their position.

“Are you..are you sure this is what you want?” Roy manages to ask, their mouths millimeters apart.

Edward rubs himself again, setting every nerve ending on the edge. “I am in, for the long haul”.

 

Roy lowers and makes their mouth clash into a kiss.

He touches Edward’s erection with his open palm. Then slowly traces a line down to his flesh knee and back again on his side. The touch burns but doesn’t ache. The man under him is moaning, lost in his pleasure.

Edward cups the back of his head and push him closer, his fingers tracing some kind of map on his skin, which got him shivers of pleasure. All the concerns gone, no room left for anything else but him and the man he loves.

“Roy, please..”

“I don’t think it will last for long”

“Then we will need a lot of exerc-“  but can’t finish the sentence because Roy assaults his mouth again, in the heat of passion. He frees Edward’s erection and his own and starts stroking them in a slow rhythm.

Edward’s grip on his side tightens as he lets out a loud moan.

Loud lover. Very unsurprising.

Roy is not sparing any, either. He has never been shy, but in the back of his mind he is surprised to register another series of groans, other then Edward’s. 

 

“Is it..nh..always like this?”

“Like.. this?” Roy’s mind is flipping like never before. Their foreheads are touching now. If he feels like this when they are not even having actual sex, what would be like.. 

 

Edward moves to go along his movements and they both shudder, lost in their silent dance. He can’t take his eyes off Roy’s. It would cause him physical pain.

“Like if we ..were meant to. Ah..please” and arches to highlight his state.

Roy speeds up the rhythm and murmurs in a low, rough voice.

“Just with you.”

They come together within a few more strokes.

 

Edward is panting and trembling a little under him, his eyes liquid with pleasure and true happiness.

And Roy is overwhelmed with the need to have those eyes watching at him every day of his life. Letting himself relax, he lays on the top of the other man, not actually oppressing hi. Without a word, he hugs him tightly, unable to translate into words his feelings.

“Roy, what..?” Edward murmurs.

“Please, stay” Roy asks, the forehead pressed against the other’s chest, where his heart is still thundering. He hopes his voice is not as desperate as it sound to him. “Stay and never leave”. Edward hugs him and keeps combing his hair as he promises,

“Yes”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally *w*
> 
> As Yuri would say, I put all my Eros in this performance.
> 
> Thank you so much for all your supports. See you next week.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a wise man once said "you're gonna suffer... but you're gonna be happy about it..."

“Sir” Fuery calls him from the main office, “They found something at the bookshop. They are bringing here the evidence.”

“Good. Do you know what is it?”

“No, sir. They told me there was a hidden recess where Colmar supposedly used to kept valuables and more important files “

“I see. Maybe he left something useful to us”.

He is going to drive out the bastards who assaulted Edward and Havoc. Although, right now he can’t do anything but racking his brain around the conversation he had with Prince Ling..

As if he called her, Hawkeye enters the inner office.

“Sir, if I may ask, how did it go yesterday?”

“I am afraid we were right.” He stands up and approaches the window, making his eyes wander on the inner yard of the building.

“He confirmed Edward was being spied at least since his mission to Briggs. He thought about military at the time.”

He shakes his head, “Edward has been working with the Investigation Division since the Promised Day and I think we should start from there.”

Finally, he looks back at the Lieutenant, “Riza, I need to tell you something else, too. Edward and I..we are in a relationship. Maybe you already know, but..”

“But I am happy you decided to open up with me. Thank you”   Riza is smiling at him warmly.

Roy sights “Am I that obvious?”

“Just a little. And just when it comes to him”. She comes back to her desk.

 

 

Half an hour later two soldiers make their entrance bringing what they found during the search at Mr.Colmar shop. Two boxes of files waiting for them. “Is this Colonel Mustang’s office?”

“Chief, they are here!”

“Well, it will take a while..” Breda states looking at them.

Once the soldiers leave, they start to examine everything. There are payments bills, some cheques, papers related to the shop’s activity – not always very lawful - . And a lot of notebooks. Some of them seem to be rather old. They all are densely hand-written.

After examining everything else, they concentrate on them. Every page has three columns. The first one contains a series of numbers. The second one has brief annotations. The last one shows at regular intervals what seem to be revenues.

“Is this accounting?” Fuery asks, uncertain. “Look, the numbers here. They are somehow consequential, it’s more like…ah, yes. Dates.”

“Looks like surveillance to me.” Havoc says.

Falman is reading another one. “If you are right, these files cover years..here, there are notes back to April 1913” says pointing at the page.

“Look ..this one covers the last few months.” Breda shows the note he is reading to the others.

Roy’s frowning. Deeply.

“What is it?” Hawkeye asks worried. Roy doesn’t answer. Instead, he takes Breda’s notebook and starts reading.

He is still frowning when he turns another page and goes pale.

“Fuery, what does that note says?” he asks, while turning some pages back.

“ Uhm.. _‘East City. Mission. Order to track. Do not engage.’_ ”

“ Is it 1915 in that notebook as well? Is there something on December?” and it’s Riza’s turn to frown in confusion.

“Just a moment. I ..yes, there is something” he reads out loud for the others,

“ It says _‘Injured. On the move. Waiting for your confirmation’_ , and then it just says _‘Delivered’_ . Sir, I think these are copies of the original files, and maybe Colmar was hiding them as.. insurance…”

He didn’t realized the others were not looking, nor listening to him anymore. They are all focused on the Colonel. Who is breathing heavily, staring at the note in his hands.

 

_“No”_

 

The notebook slips from his hands. The others haven’t time to process it, though. He is already rushing toward the door, panicked.

“Roy! Wait!” Hawkeye grabs him. He tries to free himself but she doesn’t let go.

“The notes, it’s Edward”. She lets go, as if she has just burned her hand. If the notes covered the last month, too..

Roy doesn’t wait for her to come at his same conclusion as he runs down the stairs and then outside. The others are still in utter shock, not understating what is going on, all of sudden. She shouts at them.

“Fuery, call in Alphonse, immediately. Then follow us.”

“We need to hurry. Let’s go”, adds then, toward Havoc, Falman and Breda.

“Where?”

“At the Colonel’s house.”

 

 

 

Roy speeds through the streets, his mind divided between processing what he just found out and the fear that is making his blood running cold since he listened to his men reading Colmar’s notes.

 _Spring 1913. ‘East City. Mission. Order to track. Do not engage.’_ The Elrics were there on mission. He sent them.

 _December 1915. Briggs. On the run. Keep tracking._ Same time Edward engaged Kimblee and run along with the chimeras.

And, on the notebook he took from Breda, the last few notes.

_September 1917, 5 th  Mission in the East. Not alone, CRM._

_September 1917, 16th  Moved. CRM. Closer surveillance._

_October 1917, 28th  Surveillance suspended. Waiting for instructions from the client._

It was the day before they found him dead in the shop. Someone wanted to erase any evidence of his services.

 _CRM_. Colonel Roy Mustang.

And the worst one. _Delivered_.

The person who employed Colmar is the same person who kidnapped Edward. Rather, he paid to have him kidnapped. Whoever they are, they have been watching him for years. Colmar knew Edward moved from the bugged dormitory to his house. And now they know, too.

Something must have changed – the man ended up killed- and Edward is alone and unaware of the danger. Because of him.

 

 

 

Edward lays in the now empty bed for a while, recalling the last night. They hadn’t planned anything. It just felt..right. Roy told he loved him and any worry he might have had about his own inexperience or anything else, it all disappeared. It was just the two of them.

He gets up and enters the bathroom for a quick shower. Then goes downstairs to have some breakfast. During the morning, he soon realizes he is going to spend the whole day getting bored. He thinks better and starts wondering around in Roy’s bedroom. He finds old newspapers, some novels, a pair of handcuffs – they are definitely going to talk about it when he is back -. Then, on the bottom of the ottoman at the foot of the bed, he finds an old box.

He takes it and goes sitting downstairs. It is full of photos. Those on the top seems more recent. A lot of them must be Meas’ photos. Some photos must have been taken right after Ishval. Edward’s heart aches looking at how emaciated and sleep deprived Roy looks. Then come the others. The years he spent training or entering the military. On the bottom, the photos decrease in number. Roy as a young boy. One with Riza and another man. And Roy as a child. There are many things he still doesn’t know about Roy. 

He is looking at the older ones. People around him changes, but Roy wears an impossible smile in each one. Although, most of the times the background is hardly familiar. Rocky soil, small bushes and conifers.

_‘I used to run through the fields everyday’_

_‘When I was five my parents died’_

_‘I used to live in the countryside, not far from Central’_

The last one is a photo of Roy with – Edward deduces – his parents. A dark haired man and a young woman with a gentle smile. The sea behind them.

“He never told me he saw the ocean..”

Edward thinks out loud, somewhere between surprised and awestruck. He never saw it himself. Always wanted to. He is going to stalk Roy to go along with him.

He put them back in the box and bring them upstairs.

He comes back in the living room and lays on the sofa with a cooking book. He is deep in his reading when he hears the door opening and then closing. He sure is early, he thinks smiling.

 

“Hi” Edward says loudly, still concentrated on the recipe, “You are more lazy than usual if you are already back. You know I can’t cook with one hand right?” Turns the page and keeps talking, “I thought you would spend the whole day at the office”.

 

“I am sure he will.”

 

Edward’s mind freezes.

He jumps on his feet by reflex but his mind refuses to process the fact that the man in front of him is not Roy.

Worst, he immediately recognized that voice.

 

“What? You were so chatty just a second ago, please go on.” The man mocks him, entering the living room.

Edward steps back slowly, maintaining eye contact.

Edward looks at the man who kept him prisoned for the first time. The only thing he knew was that he had blond hair.

The man in front of him has long, dark hair. And a terribly familiar gold shade in his eyes.

 

The man seems to notice the route of his thoughts, “Yeah”, and takes a lock of hair in his hand, “I dyed it. I heard you prefer brunettes. Besides, it help passing unnoticed. In Central, far too people know you and your brother’s colouring”.

“Who are you?” Edward forces himself to ask. He is thinking about a way out and hopes to buy some time.   

“Nice try, Edward. Unfortunately we don’t have the luxury of time.” He moves closer and Edward can’t think anything else but turning and running toward the stairs. If he reaches the first floor he should be able to jump from the..

 

He is still running when something collides with his torso abruptly. An arm. He hits the floor and has to force himself to take a breath in. He raises his eyes. The man who grounded him, he is the same he fought back at the shop.

_What the hell is.._

“Sedate him so we can leave” that man orders him. “I have preparation to make and Mustang might come back”.

 

_Roy_

 

Edward kicks the attacker and tries to put some distance between himself and the minion, trying at the same time to get up from the floor. Difficult, with just one hand. If only he could use alchemy..

 Another man joins the first one. He grabs him from his metal arm while the colleague’s hand comes to tighten around his neck. Edward feels the needle’s puncture on his thigh. Shit. Shit. Shit.

 

“Leave me now! Leav- me!”. He has tried not to give in to panic since he realized who was in front of him. Right now, panic might buy him some precious seconds.

 

The dark haired man walks toward him, lowers on the floor. He cups his cheek and talks quietly “You don’t have to worry my little flower. I have big plans for you.”

Then, just nothing.

 

 

 

The street in front of the house is filled with the sound of harsh braking. Roy runs toward the entrance door, his gloves ready to realise all their destructive power.

“Edward! Edward!!”

 

He enters the house and searches the kitchen, the living room. A book on the floor. He keeps shouting, as he rushes upstairs.

“Edward!”

 

Bed unmade. Bathroom empty. He comes back downstairs and exit to the inner garden.

 

“EDWARD!”

 

 

The sound of other cars stopping somewhere in the nearby. Nothing else.

 

 

 

The others are entering the house, guns ready and on maximum alert when a heart breaking scream cracks the air. Riza already knows the place, so she knows where to lead the others.

Roy is there, on all fours.  They are late.

 

 

  

“You go and secure the house, I’ll take care of it” Hawkeye orders. Havoc, Breda and Falman exchange worried looks as they go. The Lieutenant goes outside and slowly moves closer.

 

“Roy?” she tries. No answer.

 

“Roy, listen. You need to put yourself together now.” A moment of silence, then he slowly moves and raises his head to look at her.

“I should have told him about the bugs the moment we found out. This is my fault” he barely holds back the tears.

She lowers at his level and grabs both his shoulders, “This is not _your_ fault. Stop it. He needs you. You at your best “

He stares at her for a moment, then decides to get up. 

 

“We need to call Alphonse. I’ll need his help, too.”

 

 

 

 


	19. Chapter 19

It’s a matter of minutes until Fuery arrives at the Colonel’s house. However Alphonse is not the only one following him. Ling comes along, too. They are all waiting for them in the kitchen. Roy found the will to move from the garden but he can’t even think about the glass of whisky Havoc poured for him. He just keeps his hands busy with it.

“We were together at the library when Gracia called me” Alphonse explains greeting. “What’s going on? He didn’t say” adds, pointing at Fuery.

No one dares to speak. Apart from Roy.

“Someone took your Brother while I was at the Headquarters”.

On Alphonse’s face various emotions surface rapidly. He goes past shock, despair, worry. Finally sets on quiet, dangerous anger.

 “Does it have anything to do with his problem?” he asks neutrally.

“It’s more complicated..” but the younger Elric explodes,

“I got along with Brother’s wishes far enough! No more.. I do not care what it is, I have to know! And I mean now!” Alphonse is practically shouting.  

“I…” Roy hesitates for a second. He knows there is no point in hiding the information if that means one more chance to find Edward. Still, it feels like betraying his trust.

“He was kidnapped while we were on the run” Ling anticipates his response, stepping in front of Alphonse, “Someone kept him prisoner for weeks and..it changed him. He kept having nightmares and panic attacks since then.”

He glances with understanding at Roy. He nods, grateful for having been spared from the duty to confess such a terrible thing.

“What..? What..did you..That is what you were helping him with?” Alphonse asks again to Roy. He tenses but nods.

Alphonse covers his face and sits down forceless.

“I offered your brother to move in to help him. Although, at the time we had just found out some bugs in the room he was renting at the dormitory. He doesn’t know, though.” He tightens his hands into fists at the thought. The younger Elric raises his eyes on him in disbelief.

“He was in danger and dealing with..who knows what.. and you let him keep working?!” Alphonse shouts angrily.

“There is no point in arguing now Alphonse” Riza suggests, “And you also know how much your brother is apt to suggestions when it comes to himself.” The boy shakes his head none the less.

“The man who kept your brother is the same who killed the man we were investigating, I am sureof it”, Roy continues, “Mr.Colmar was hired to keep track of Edward and pass every kind of information about him. Probably he is the one who wrote the message we found at the bookshop, too.”

“Did Edward work out what it was about?”

Roy shakes his head. They have no time for this. They should be doing something instead of..

“What message?” the Xingan asks. It occurs to Roy that he kept his copy in the pockets of his coat since the day before. He grabs and hands it over to him to read.

“Where did you get this?” he seems shocked. And Roy knows there must be something very wrong with it because the Prince would hardly let show anything he is actually thinking.

“We were looking for that man. Colmar. We found him dead. He left it as suicide note but the suicide is a fake..” Havoc explains.

“He asked me about it, too” Alphonse catches Roy’s attention again, “But I have no idea where it comes from, even if..”

Ling curses in Xingan stops him.

 

“ _You know_ what it is.” Roy is observing him in disbelieve.

 

“I do. And you won’t like it.” Ling admits. “We don’t have much time, so I’ll be concise. This is a piece of an almost forgotten poem.” He castes a glance over Alphonse “A Xerxenian one”.

The young boy stills hearing it. “How can you..”

“We keep very detailed records in the Citadel. I was going to tell Edward last evening. Fact is..” he continues ,“it refers to a legend. About a powerful magic. A blood spell.”

“Human transmutation” Roy murmurs horrified.

 “That’s a way to call it. There are tales about it. In the past, some people thought this particular poem was some sort of ..alchemic manual. To gain whatever this magic was about. Power, I guess. No Xerxenias left to ask.” He pauses.

“What about half-blood?” he crosses his arms and turns toward the only Elric in the room.

“Did you know anything of this?” Roy asks frantic.

Alphonse is as pale as a dead man, “No, I.. how could..our parents never told us a-anything. W-when Brother showed me, I remembered something, our father used to call Mum his...scarlet flower” he tries to stabilize his voice “But they never told us any of it so-”

“But they knew something!” Ling insists like if he is trying to make a point, “If they did not for sure, they must have had suspects!” The others are looking at him waiting for some kind of explanation. “Look at what they called him! _Edward_.”

“ _Oh_.” It’s Hawkeye to speak.

“I don’t understand” Havoc intervenes.

Hawkeye looks Roy in the eyes, speaking calmly. “The name Edward. It means _fortune guardian_ , also _blessed guard_ ..”

“Are you saying” Alphonse asks somewhere between confused and impatient, “that my Brother might _specifically_ fulfill the requirements for this..this spell to work? Why not me then? That’s..” he shakes his head and takes a few steps trying to keep his nerves under control.

Roy turns toward the Lieutenant, “I need to find him. If they want to perform human transmutation..” he can’t voice his worst fears.

“Let’s go back at the office, maybe there is something that can help us finding them. Meanwhile, we will alert the military and the police about it. They won’t leave the city.” Hawkeye suggests.

They all nods in agreement and move. Left the whisky untouched, Roy stills for a moment then moves. He is passing past the sofa when he notices again Edward’s book on the floor and picks it up. The others already are at the entrance.

A sheet of paper falls from it. Roy catches it and immediately sees the unknown writing. He turns his back to the hallway.

 

“Colonel?” Alphonse calls him after a few seconds.

“Yeah, I’m coming. You go with the others. I’ll follow with my car.”

“Ok”.

Roy crumples the paper and throws it the floor, waiting until the others leave. Then exit the house and gets in the car.

 

 

_Dear Colonel,_

_I knew you wouldn’t resist picking it up. First, I need to thank you for taking care of him so well. Funniest thing is I would have never found out about his existence at all if it wasn’t for you._

_You will find me in the only place you haven’t looked yet. I like having audience but you will be enough. Come alone. Otherwise, you won’t even have the chance to say goodbye to him._

 

When Edward regains consciousness, he is not even surprised to find himself tied up. As for the location, it is another matter at all.

“You are awake. Finally”

“Why are we here? How do you know this..”

“Don’t you like it? I thought you would be..nostalgic” and puts on his best smile.

Edward is out of ideas. He has been taken, the others probably have no idea of what happened and he seriously doubts they are going to find him anytime soon.

Edward is sitting on the ground. The dark haired man is handling some books on a table not far from where he is chained.

“You don’t like it. My bad.” While approaching, he waves both hands as if he is sorry. Which he is not, judging from his cheerful expression. He is now crouched down on his level, elbows on his knees. And Edward gets the chance to better observe his jailer. His hair are still dark brown, braided on both sides of the head so that they can easily stay out of his sight. A craggy face, dark circles under the golden eyes. Pupils dilated.

“I have been watching you, Edward Elric, for a very long time. Since before our first encounter. Waiting..it was so hard. But all things come to those who wait. And here you are.”

“You are fucking crazy”

Probably not the smartest thing to say. A rough backhand on his mouth is what he gets in reward. His lower lip cuts and he can taste his own blood on the tongue.

“Behave. I don’t want to damage you but I won’t stand your impertinence.” He has passed from excitement to pure fury to calm in about ten seconds. This volatility makes him even more dangerous and Edward is not in the best position to find out to what extent his behaviour works.

“Why am I here?” Edward asks.

One of the minions who took him chooses that moment to approach the man in front of him to murmur something into his ear.

“Fine. That was your last assignment. You and your men are free to go. I no longer need you.”

The man just nods before leaving them alone.

“Well, you ask me why. And I am going to tell you. But you are going to wait for a little longer. We are waiting for another guest to join us.”

 

 

_You will find me in the only place you haven’t looked yet_

At first Roy thought about any place related to the cases they were investigating on. The shop, the bank. Maybe it was something about Edward. But he already searched the dormitory room himself. Any other place outside Central seems unlikely, given the timing. Edward has been gone for three hours at most.

It must be within the City.

He is in the car, processing everything could be useful to give him the answer he is looking for.

“Fuck. Think, think..” he lowers his head on the steering wheel, desperate. He wonders how much time he has left before the others realise he didn’t followed them.

 

 _the_ only place _you haven’t looked yet_

 _the only place you haven’t looked_ yet

 _the only place_ you haven’t looked _yet_

 

“The one I never looked..” he raises his head astonished.

It wasn’t about the case, or Edward. It was about him. The man who took him was so bold to hand over a letter in their own office, in the Headquarters, just to play with them. What if..

 

 

 

The weak sound of a door opening makes Edward tenses. The crazy guy has kept walking around him like a raven for the last hour at least.  He is on the alert, too. An evil smile gashes his face. He comes closer to Edward and warns him with a whispered _Quiet,_ while pulling out a knife and heading it toward his neck.

A few seconds of silence.

“Don’t be shy, we’ve been waiting for you. Come and join us, Colonel Mustang”

And under Edward’s shocked eyes, Roy steps out of the shadows, gloved hand prepared to clap and fire in his eyes.

"The only place I haven't looked yet. I was blind by the time the Gate had me delivered down here."

The place he never had the chance to see in the Headquarters. 

Father's refuge.

 

“If I were you, I would throw those gloves far away before my hand slips” and he pushes the knife hard enough to cut Edward’s skin as warning.

Roy looks at Edward. Who can’t speak, nor move. But somehow feels like he is screaming to go ahead and burn that bastard on the crisp. No matter the consequences.

His rational part knows this is the worst idea ever but he can’t really think about anything else. This time he is not the one leading the game. Doesn’t mean he is going to lose, though.

He shows both hands open and slowly removes the gloves. And throws them away.

“What are yo-“ Edward screams, just to cut himself deeper and whine in pain.

Roy makes a step ahead but the dark haired man warns him.

“Not yet sunshine.” Then rapidly claps his hands on the floor and a couple of chains come out of the ground to capture Roy’s hands, keeping them at fair distance one from another.

“I know you can perform alchemy without circles as well. Not that you need to, with those” says pointing at the gloves “So let’s call it a safety belt” and laughs in self-satisfaction. He lowers the knife. Edward is still looking at Roy, fear in his eyes seeing how defenseless he is at the moment.

 

“Now, let’s talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was soo difficult >.<  
> I hope you will enjoy it.  
> Next one, you are going to freak out. Just saying..:3


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used italic for either Edward, Roy or Riza's thoughts

Roy is evaluating the situation. He is tied up. And still has no idea of why the man in front of them is so interested in Edward but still let a message for him to find them.

Best thing at the moment is buying some time and trying to make him talk. Which, apparently, is what he is going to do anyway.

“Colonel Roy Mustang, hero of Ishval. You know, I didn’t have a real interest in you, but since when he” and motions his head toward Edward “moved in with you I’ve been consumed with curiosity. And I was quite surprise when I couldn’t found out anything other than your military history and actual whereabouts. A mistery man.”

“I could say the same. Who are you?”

The man grins,“Well, where should I start from? Edward already got it, I’m Xerxian. My name is Lokan. I was born in Xerxes..about 460 years ago.”

Roy and Edward both tenses in shock.

“That’s impossible..” Edward whispers. His father and the Dwarf in the Flask were the only beings who survived those terrible events. And also the only ones who could say to have been living for such a long time. How did he make it? He created Philosopher Stones as well?

“Yet here I am. I was already 19 when your little daddy and _that thing_ decided to ..you know. “

“How do you know what happened? Did you know my father?”

“I didn’t. Not personally. I’m going to tell you in a moment.” He replies with an annoyed voice.

 

“Where was I.. ah, yes! I had left the country about a year before so I was among the few people spared. But I was alone among lonely people, because of what your father did to me” and saying so he rolls up his right sleeve to show the forearm.

A pale white scar shows. A circle. 

“What is it?”

“Nice question Edward, thank you” Lokan says playfully.

“Everyone who was Xerxenian kept asking it since it appeared on my skin, when I was around your age.”

Roy is observing both Edward and the man as they talk. Now that he knows, he is able to notice some resembles between the two men. He probably dyed his hair. Smart guy. Lokan hasn’t stopped looking at Edward with greedy eyes and Roy gets more and more worried about his intentions. Does he plan to make Edward perform human transmutation? Is he interested in what the Dwarf was trying to achieve? That would explain why they ended up in the Homunculus’ hideout.

Lokan seems lost in his memories as he brushes his hand on that scar. Suddenly, he turns back at Edward smiling, “He never told you, did he?”

Edward looks at him in confusion.

“Your father. The message I left you..you know it.” He keeps talking in his monologue. “Fair. You don’t _actually_ know it“, and moves his hand in the air to draw invisible inverted commas, “but I’ll bet you can’t stop thinking about it, am I right?”

 

 

“..how do you know?”

Roy’s head twitches toward Edward, disbelieve rushing through him hearing such an answer.  

“AM I right? That’s am-azing. Your blood really is strong.” The man is practically gloating.

Edward must have sensed his astonishment because adds, looking him in the eyes, “I..don’t know but..it felt like remembering something important all of sudden... I kept humming those words during the last days. I’m sorry”.

He has been keeping that from Roy by repeating to himself it wasn’t important. That it could be due to the concussion. He didn’t want to admit that there could be something else. Something more.

He felt dangerously attracted by those words..

Without giving Roy any time to speak, Lokan continues.

“According to the legends, we were chosen by the Gods to bring a bless into this world. This bless is a mark. Not like this one“, he shakes his head looking at his forearm, “It was supposed to be bright red. It was supposed to be a _name_.”

Edward shouts back in rage.

“What am I here for if you want a tattoo? What does my father have to do with this?”

“A tattoo? Oh my dear, no. It’s not a tattoo. It just..appears on your skin, when you’re the right age. You have no say in the matter. Nor has the other one.”

“The other one?” Roy asks. He would rather draw Lokan’s attention on himself rather then Edward.

Although, the man doesn’t stop looking at Edward as he speaks.

“This mark is a gift you share with another person. Each one carrying the other’s name on their skin. That’s what your father took us…our soulbond.”

Edward is staring at him in shock. He can’t admit to himself that he’s got shivers down his spine at that word. _Soulbond_.

And an old memory, too.

 

_“Mum, look! Butterflies. They only live for a month, sometimes just a few hours. Winry’s dad told me..”_

_He was walking with Mum and Al was trying to catch a cat running through the grass, not distant from the path._

_Trisha looked at the butterflies for a while with enchanted eyes, a smile opening on her face. There were two butterflies playing through the flowers. They kept twirling in a display of marvellous colours._

_She stopped and lowered to grab him by his shoulders._

_“You know why they do that Edward?”_

_He shook his head._

_“Butterflies have a little time and they want to spend it with another butterfly. A special one”_

_“But why is it special?” he asks confused. The meadows are teeming with butterflies._

_Trisha smiled, then became more serious as continued, “There is a bond between their souls. They just know. You are going to find a special person too, Edward. You will know when you find them. Just like the butterflies.”_

_“Like the butterflies” he repeats. Somehow this seemed to be important for his mum._

_She smiled back, got back up and kept walking down the path with him, hand in hand._

_“Mum?”_

_“Yes?”_

_“Did you and Dad do like the butterflies, too?”_

_She stilled for a moment, her eyes wide. Did he say something wrong?_

_“Yes..yes honey, we did.”_

 

“You see, these person’s souls are bonded since forever. Always will. This link materializes into the marks. That’s what the song talks about. Your father had it too. Until he decided to screw everything up. Interesting that he found the will to marry someone and have children after what he did.”

Lokan keeps talking but Edward is on the verge of tears and Roy doesn’t understand what is happening to him.

“Edward, don’t listen to him. He is just-“

“You better be quiet if you don’t want for him to watch when I cut your throat” Lokan has moved closer as he spoke and is furious. He doesn’t like to be ignored.

Edward looks up at him, visibly worried and silently begging him _Please, do not give him any reason._

The young alchemist tries to get the man’s attention back, “So my father messed up and no more..marks. But yours is white since before that day, right? “ Lokan’s eyes moves back on him.

Edward continues, “So there must be something wrong with it. You said everyone should have this..”

“Their soulmate, yes!”

“So what do you need me..”

“Shh shh, I’m getting to it. Let’s imagine for a moment.. . Yes! You alchemists like so much your equivalent exchange. Now tell me..based on what I explained to you just now. .What would happen if something that shouldn’t exist in the first place was brought to life. Would that count?”

 

And Roy has no idea of what the man is talking about but Edward is considering Lokan’s words when starts shaking his head, in denial.

 

Lokan smiles fondly, “So clever, my little flower.”

 

“Edward..” Roy’s tone implies both caution and demand for an explanation.

“The Dwarf in the Flask. It was the result of the alchemists’ experiments with my father’s blood. Somehow, it messed up this cosmic order. Whatever. That’s why he didn’t got any mark. That’s what he is saying.”

“What he’s saying? THAT’S TRUE!” Lokan shouts beating his chest, in an access of rage. He calms down almost immediately.

 “Otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I didn’t share a proper mark with.. that thing, but we were linked somehow and thanks to it I lived until now. Well, until you killed it. In that moment, I started aging again. I also had a few ..visions over the years.. That’s why I know this place, or what happened back then. It’s not uncommon between soulmates.”

 

 

 

_Roy isn’t here yet._

Hawkeye is worrying minute by minute. Alphonse told them the Colonel would join them in no time. He could use a moment by himself. Still, half an hour passed and he is not in sight yet.

“Alphonse, what did he tell you?”

“Just..to go. That he would follow us with his car”

“Anything else?”

“No..he wasn’t even looking at me. He kept looking toward the garden. He sounded a little zoned out..”

He is already regretting his behaviour back at the Colonel’s house. He thought what he said but...After all, it wasn’t his fault if Edward was kidnapped. He was just worried as hell and wanted his brother back.

_A little zoned out_

“Shit” she curses, visibly concerned.

And everybody turns at her in shock. She never swears. Never.

“Lieutenant-“

“He is not coming Alphonse. We need to go back to the house..he went looking for your brother. Alone”

_This time I’m going to shot you, Roy. Please don’t do anything stupid. We are coming._

 

 

 

 

_So he survived Xerxes destruction, lived for almost fourth centuries because of Homunculus. Hates Edward’s father. An he’s clearly unstable. But what does he need Edward for?_

“You told me you knew about Edward because of me” Roy addresses him. “How is that possible?”

“What?” Edward looks at him disoriented.

“He left a message for me back at home. He ..invited me and said I was responsible”

“No one should ever underestimate destiny, Colonel. Can you imagine my shock ..no, no wait.. _my joy_ , when  one day, among the crowd I spotted a shade of colour I hadn’t seen in centuries, apart from the mirror. I was in Thomen, in the West. There was this boy shouting, followed by a giant soldier in a metal armour. During the years I have been gaining power and riches and applied them both into building a web of assets and acquaintances that could assure my well being. So it took me just a couple of days to find out who he was. Edward Elric, State Alchemist.”  

He passes a hand on his forehead and moves back to the table. He grabs a metal bar and starts drawing on the ground around Edward.

“What the hell are you doing?” Edward asks as he tries to free himself from the chains. Roy gets agitated as well. Lokan ignores them, “I kept you under surveillance since then. Not that you made it easy. In the while, I have been preparing all I needed for today. The last proof, I had it when I examinated your blood and verified how it reacts with mine. ”

Truth to be told, Roy has a more then basic knowledge of biological alchemy, even if he dedicated himself to the field that made him famous. Although, he has not the faintest idea of what Lokan is doing. And apparently neither has Edward, which scares him more than everything else.

“What are you drawing? Stop it!” Edward shouts.

“You know, I was a little uncertain until yesterday. You really are stubborn. People keeps telling it, and I experienced it when I had you the first time.” He chuckles as Edward tries to free himself, in vain. “Admirable. So I asked myself..how can I convince him?” He seems intrigued by his own words.

Edward stops moving at all.

“I considered kidnapping your brother. Then..plot twist! And believe me, I rarely get surprised..”

Then, fatally, he points is finger at Roy almost screaming “Him?!?”

And Edward can literally feel a hole opening up in his heart. He thought Lokan trapped Roy because of his position in the military or because he has been his C.O.. . certainly not because of his feelings for him. There was still a chance he could be save if it was not something personal.

 

On the other hand, Roy can’t believe it. How does he know? Worst, this means he has been played with all along.

Lokan makes his eyes wander from one to another and vice versa.

“You fell for him?!” the man continues to draw. “I saw you, yesterday. On the sidewalk. Really, I am so disappointed by your tastes”.

“By the way, this means you care for him, more than for anybody else. So..” he is panting a little for the strain, “..you are going to do exactly what I tell you, or I will torture him a thousand times worst then I did with you.”

 

Roy loses it, “Edward, don’t you dare listen to- “ but he can’t finish the sentence because Lokan hits him with violence, using the bar he is handling, on his left knee. He screams in pain and loses his balance.

“STOP IT!” he hears Edward screaming over the pain. “YOU TOUCH HIM AND I SWEAR-”

“You know what I am capable of. You are going to do as I ask. And I won’t kill him. I promise.” No one believed him for a second. Unfortunately, it doesn’t change the fact that he has the upper hand here.

 

And Edward can’t do nothing but surrender.

 

“What do you want me to do?” Edward growls.

 

“You will pay me back. You, my dear Edward, are going to be my soulmate”.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So . . .... SoulBond!au 
> 
> I don't know the exact moment my mind came up with this thing, but I thought it was cool enough to give it a chance.  
> I hope it's up to the expectations XD
> 
> Thank you for both your patience and enthusiasm.
> 
> ps.I am going to edit the tags during the next days. Don't wanna ruin the surprise :3


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains scenes of violence.

 “I shouldn’t have talked to him like that” Alphonse is sitting on the sofa, lost and worried. Now the Colonel is god knows where looking for Edward and he probably did that out of impulse, because of what he said.

“Fuck” Havoc curses for all of them.

“What is this?” Falman says picking up something from the floor.

“Let me see” Hawkeye grasps a crumpled sheet out of his hands.

 

 

 

“What?”

“You are going to bond yourself ..to me”

“How am I supposed to do that? You told that yourself. The Dwarf destroyed any chance, right?”

Besides there is no fucking way he is going to agree to what the man is suggesting. How could someone spend the rest of his life (or lives, if you believe in that sort of things) side by side to someone like him. Even if he hadn’t someone in his life – as he does now – there would be not one chance. Still..

 

 “Well, fact is, you were not born yet when he did it. I spent a lot of time researching in this field, for obvious reasons. All I ever wanted was to heal this thing” says showing his arm. “And I found a way. You are not cursed, like me or your father. You are just..dormant. As our ancestors were before they got their marks in the first place, I believe. Same goes for your brother, even if I haven’t had the chance to check. I chose you because you are the right age. We are going to replicate the process in the best way possible. With one exception.”

And Edward doesn’t need to ask.

 

“My bond won’t be my real bond”, he pauses, “My real soulmate, I’ll lose them”.

 

He feels Roy’s glare burning his skin, but he imposes himself to not look back, afraid of Lokan’s reaction.

 

“You are going to perform a soul transmutation. Once we do that, you won’t remember anything of your old life. Not even your little pet.” He waves toward Roy.

 

“I would rather die”, Roy’s growl echoes furious in the cave. “than letting this happen”.                                      

 

“That’s exactly what I am talking about here. See Edward, he got it, too.” He lowers next to the young alchemist, adding, “You refuse, he dies.”

“That’s why you wanted me here” Roy’s voice is a concentrate of anger.

“Well, yes. Also, I told you. I like having audience. After all, this is my special day, isn’t it?”

Roy’s laugh is icy, “You are right, it is. Because you will be dead by the end of it.” Then adds, looking Edward directly in the eyes “Also, since you are longing for public, I left your note for my men to find. They are coming for us anytime now”.

It is a half-truth. He doesn’t doubt for a second that by now the others will have figured out why he didn’t go with them. However, how much time they will need to find the message he abandoned on the floor of his living room and get their heads around what it means, he has no idea.

Edward has known him for long enough to detect how much of what he is saying –or in this case not saying - is aimed to him. They are on their own, for now.

Lokan’s laugh fills the space between the two of them.

“I hardly believe so. You probably burned it as soon as you read it. Even if you didn’t, there is a way to be sure they won’t find us in time.”

Saying so, he approaches Roy. Edward tenses and starts shouting “Ehi! EHI! What are you ..” but Lokan has already grabbed Roy by his clothes and..suddenly distances himself again. Roy seems even more concerned, if it is possible. What..

 

“I’ve always envied your toys, Colonel” the man mocks Roy, “Time I borrow one”.

 

The lights of the torches flash on cold metal.

 

Roy’s gun. The bastard.

 

“Now “, and saying so he takes aim of Roy, still chained and defenceless against the man,

 

“You can choose. The circle I did, it requires one thing to work. Your blood and mine, spilled by your own will. This one thing.. I can’t force you with spells. It would not work. Fortunately, I have the perfect lever.”

He moves closer to Edward and carefully sets him free from the ropes with the knife he used on him in what seems ages ago. Lokan turns it over and offers it for Edward to take. The gun still pointed at Roy.

 

“Edward, don’t!” and Edward hazards a look toward Roy. He is trying to free himself. His mask is always at place but Edward has learned to see through it by now. That same terror is a copy of his own.

He waits a moment before replying, “I don’t really have a choice”.

And takes the knife with his metal hand.

 

“Yes Ed, you do. Run. It’s an order”.

And yes, he could make it, by a strategic point of view.

Roy hates himself for what he is saying. He knows how much Edward always hated that sort of approach.

Instead of getting angry, Edward looks at him thoughtful, then his traits soften as he speaks

 

“We’re far past orders, aren’t we?” then turns to Lokan, who followed their little speech with fervid eyes, “What do you want me to do?”

 

“Edward!”

 

“The circle I drawn, you see. There are two complementary sections. One is mine and one is yours. Each one has an inner circle. You will spill your blood in there.”

 

If he didn’t already want the man dead, Edward would have admired him for the job. This drawing is a piece of art. He could spend days studying it.

The circle is framed with complex patterns made of unknown symbols and natural images. The centre of it is splits in two halfs, in the shape of drops. And as Lokan said, two smaller circles inside each one. Two yards of diameter at maximum.

Lokan moves toward his half, never lowering the gun.

Edward does the same.

 

“Stop it!”

 

“Roy, it’s ok” Edward says not looking at him. “This is my fault”

 

“No it’s not!”

 

“Maybe. It doesn’t matter, though.” Then to Lokan, “After I did this, he will mean nothing to me.” And god knows how much these words sounds _just wrong_ on his tongue. “I’ll come with you. You let him go. Unarmed.”

 

“That’s the deal” Lokan promises.

 

“Edward!!”

 

And he finally looks at him again, sadness melting his eyes.

 

“I’m sorry. I promised you to stay but..I can’t”.

 

And not giving Roy any space to reply he raises the knife and cuts his foreharm, deeply.

Blood travels down the wrist, to dunk the bandages on the broken hand before spilling on the floor, dark and plentiful. He throws away the blooded knife, in Roy’s general direction. A silent, last act of hope for Roy.

“NO!”

 

Instead of cutting himself, Lokan smiles evilly and activates another transmutation. The gun abandoned on the floor next to him.

Edward suddenly takes his head in his hands and screams in pain. He falls on his knees.

 

“What did you do?!”  

 

He lowers his head suddenly, as if he fell asleep. Then raises it again. Except he seems unconscious. His eyes are not focused on the reality in front of him. The light in his eyes lost.

 

“Edward!”

 

“Can’t hear you anymore, Colonel. Watch..” and adds “Salute” and Edward obeys, his eyes void.

“I said he had to offer _his blood_ willingly. I never had the presumption to make him go through the whole ritual, risking some escape, or worst. He really is stubborn. When I kidnapped him I kept some blood to use for this special spell – or you prefer transmutation, Mustang?- . He will do anything I tell him. Even killing you” Then turns toward Edward “He needs to write his name on the rim of the circle and it’s done.”

 

He brings his hands back on the ground as he speaks to Edward,

 

“Now, write your name” and Edward slowly moves to get along his request.

 

_NO_

“Edward! Edward, damn it! Listen to me!!” Roy is trying to get his attention in the only way he can, with his voice, as he tugs at the chains in the hope to get free in time to stop all of this.

The young man lowers on his knees and starts drawing the letters with his own blood.

 

 “EDWARD!”

And there it is, the lightest hesitation in his moves, the proof that he is still there, somewhere, fighting to surface again. They just need a little more time..

 

“Edward, remember what you promised, no more escapes..”

 

But he just shakes his head, trying to get rid of something annoying.

“Ed, please!!” Roy doesn’t stop for a moment as he yanks on the chains. “What will the others do if you are gone? What about Alphonse?!”

“Al” This time Edward stops and some consciousness emerges in his eyes. Lokan brings his hands back on the ground as he orders “Finish your job, my flower”. Whatever he is doing, it works because Edward stills for a moment and then comes back to his drawings.

 

Roy lets out a curse. He rages against the cuffs careless of the injuries he is inflicting to his wrists. The injured knee betrays him again and he is back on the floor again.

 

_You moron, think. Think. There is something you can do. You will just break your hand if you keep going-_

 

Break your hand.

And he has just a few seconds to consider it and take his decision.

_If I break my thumb I should be able to free one hand. Free myself. Then a moment before he finishes me off._

_I just need to kill him first. And Edward will be safe._

However, nothing of it will be worth it, if he can’t buy a little more time. Edward has almost finished..

_How can I get his full attention? Something more then a memory. Something..more instinctive..something..._

Roy rapidly gets up on his feet, takes a deep breath and screams with every cell of his body

“FULLMETAL!!!” 

And he pulls his left arm and the chain blocking it, this time without holding onto it. Instead, he lets the recoil entirely run out in the area between thumb and wrist.

 

A flash of pain blacks him out for a few seconds. He manages to activate a transmutation in order to free the other hand, barely making it. He just has the readiness  - or the fortune- to in the exact moment the first gunshot goes off.

“You useless little dog. You screwed my plans for long enough.”

Roy launches himself on the knife Lokan left on the floor, grips it and turns back toward them. Raises his eyes. Lokan covers his view. What is Edward doing? Has he finished? Has he stopped?

Lokan has his gun pointed at him.

Roy already took aim and hurls the blade, elegant and merciless. He silently thanks Maes for having forced him to learn the skill all those years ago.

_Maes please, I can’t lose him, too._

The metal cuts the air, looking for his target.

Alchemists say that time can’t be stopped and that every single event necessarily comes after another. Not this time. This time they decided to share one specific moment and in order to save whatever space-time scheme rules the universe, they decided to slow down and extend it at their please.

Three things register into Roy’s mind at once.

 

First, the knife ploughing through the air and reaching his target, sticking in his stomach.

 

Second, Lokan’s grimace, going from blood-lust to suffering and confused ant then to shocked as an unexpected start shakes his whole body, a second blade popping up from behind him, right at his heart’s level.

 

Third, Lokan’s arm still raised, the gun smoking.

 

At some point time comes back to run by its natural rhythms, because Roy can hear the roar of a gunshot.

The blade which skewered Lokan disappears and the man tempts to give voice to his disappointment just to find out that the blood in his lungs is already suffocating him. He falls on his knees and then on the floor, his eyes as void as they were when he was alive.

Behind him, two golden eyes burning with pure, bright fury. Red meeting gold and metal grey.

_You are safe._

_It worked._

Those same eyes focus on Roy, ad object to his thoughts by going wide, orrified.

 “ROY!”

 

And time decides to go on and play with him because it suddenly decides to get faster and faster, just like the blood blooming all over his jacket.

He brings his good hand to touch it as he realizes what just happened and the floor welcomes him.

 

 

Edward rushes next to where Roy is laying. “Yo-you stupid, stupid, stupid..”

“You are yourself again” The relief is almost overwhelming. He tries to grab the other’s shirt but his arm feels so heavy all of sudden. Edward lowers filling his view nonetheless.  

“I need to stop the bleeding. Maybe we can reach the exit toward Lab Three and..”

“Shh, shh, it’s ok-”

“The message. The others will have found it already. I’ll bet they’re coming..”

Shit, so much blood. He takes his shirt off to press the wound.

“Edward, look at me..” Roy is so calm and he can’t ..

“Stop it! You are not gonna..” he can’t bear finishing the sentence. Tears pile up in his eyes but he refuses to give in to crying. To give in to what is happening. A tormented wipe escapes his throat.

“Edward..” Roy manages to squeeze his hand and tries to sound fucking comforting.

And Edward feels his world crushing.

 

 

**NO!**

 

 

It’a a roar cracking his heart, his body, everything.

Roy has minutes left, at maximum. The bleeding is too severe.

 

_What do I do?_

 

His mind turns to a blank slate and a complex puzzle of symbols, letters and lines fills him. They recall the ones Lokan was going to use, but not quite. At the same time, he is overwelmend by the sensation of buzzing beneath his own skin. The same feeling he had reading the words of that song. Amplified a thousand times.

 

_Save him._

Edward doesn’t know what he is going to do, not exactly, but he knows enough of human –and soul- transmutations, to know where this is going. Equivalent exchange. One life for one life.

Except, there is nothing as valuable as saving Roy. It could never be equivalent.

Would it be equivalent if, other than his life, he were to sacrifice his heart, smushing it to pieces at the thought of leaving the love of his life alone. Would it be equivalent if he were to give away every second of happiness he shared with the one person he chose to love. It would be equivalent if ..

No. It could never be. Nothing he could sacrifice could ever be more important, more precious. Nothing.

Edward faces the hardest challenge of his life.

He presses the lightest kiss on Roy’s forehead, his eyes shut in the attempt to hold back the tears, and slips his hand out of Roy’s weak grasp.

“Ed-ward?”

He doesn’t know what he is doing. Right now, some kind of inspiration is leading him and instinct is all he has left.

It will work, Roy will live. He just knows. And that’s more than enough.

He pushes the man’s hands on the shirt he is using to stop the bleeding, and gets up.

“I’ll be right back, I promise”

He steps back and grabs the bar Lokan used before. He doesn’t have much time.

“Edward..what..”

As he draws, words and memories mix up with the forgotten alchemy he is using. 

 

_You know why_

_She told me it was something like a_ _promise_

_You can stay and I am not going anywhere either_

_You will know when you find them. Just like the butterflies.._

_I love you, more and more. And I can’t imagine a world without you_

 

He keeps drawing, and crying as he listens to Roy’s voice calling him, maybe he is asking what he is doing. Asking to stop. He is not completely sure.

Roy’s presence is the only thing seeping in through the curtain of his mind right now. He keeps drawing on the ground. Just a few more lines..

 

 

A door cracks open and Riza and Alphonse make their appearance. Edward is the only one in sight. Alphonse tone is relieved “You were right, we found him.. Brother!”

_You will not interfere, Al._

Edward stops drawing and mechanically claps his hands touching the ground, not even looking at them.

“Brother, what..?” But Hawkeye’s reflex is faster.

“Alphonse, stay back!”

A roar shakes the cavity and they need to cover their eyes because of the blast.

 

A bright circle has just appeared a few steps away.

“What is it?” Hawkeye is stepping ahead when Alphonse stops her. “Don’t! It’s an alchemic boundary. You go ahead, you burn. Alchemists use it to protect themselves in they are performing while under attack. Also, it takes a while to unarm it from outside”.

Still, there are no enemies in sight. Just them.

“Why did your brother activate it?”

Alphonse looks back at him. Edward seems to be in a state of trance. He never saw him like this. It’s terrifying.

The light is dim but it does not stop Alphonse from noticing the scars on his brother’s torso and sees red.

Edward doesn’t stop drawing. Even so, he glances at something on his left a couple of times.  

Alphonse looks at the floor as well, when he spots something else.

“The Colonel! There, on the floor!”. He is not moving..

“Edward! Edward!” Hawkeye tries again.

He is not listening to them.

“Brother, let us in! What are you doing?”

Because, honestly, Alphonse never saw anything similar to the circles and letters Edward is drawing on the floor. They are entirely different from the alchemic language they are used to. And it can’t be alkeastry either.

The others arrive, too.

“Al, what’s happening?!” Havoc demands. Hawkeye spots another body lying on the floor, away from them.

“I don’t know!” Alphonse turns back shouting, “Edward, talk to me or I swear I will step in and this place is going to explode-”.

Edward draws the last symbol, then throws away the bar and turns to speak to him.

“Al, we don’t have time. He is going to explain. Please just remember..I love you.”

Then he looks down at Roy, who is pale and shaking but has his eyes fixed on him. Edward can’t say how much he is present at this point, but those dark eyes didn’t move away from him for a second.

 

He takes a second to fix Roy’s image in his mind, one last time .

 

“I love you” he mouths, because he feels like he is dying inside. Well, he will be probably dead in a matter of seconds. Still.

 

His brother and the others are screaming in the background but he keep looking at Roy the whole time. He cuts his arm with one of Lokan’s knives, letting the blood run on the floor and claps to activate whatever alchemy his heart whispered him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do not hate me. I delayed the update to make a double chapter because I didn't want to leave you waiting in the middle of the story.  
> I loved so freaking much writing this chapter XD


	22. Chapter 22

Warmth is the first sensation Edward is able to detect in the haze of his mind. Someone keeps touching him. His hand, the forehead, the cheek. He regains consciousness of his body one cell at the time. Neck, checked. Arms. Just one? Ah, yes. Same for the leg.

Nothing hurts too much, which is good news. However, he has never felt so tired in his life. Not when he performed human transmutation the first time. Not even when they fought Father. But he can’t remember why he is so tired.

Firgers. He manages to stretch them. Well, probably he just moved them a millimeter further. Not sure.

 Now and then, sounds interrupt the quiet background of his floating state.

Whispered words, silence, a door, a rhythmic beat. Silence again.  

Eyelids. God, he could have never used them in his life for how heavy they feel. A part of him demands to rest, forget everything and just drown in the calm sea of his new condition.

 

Whispers again. Louder. Warmth on his hand. Another sensation, too. A new one. Edward is not able to catalogue it the way he should, but it reminds him of water.

 

Another part of him is just too curious to let it go. He tries so hard to open his eyes.

 

_Fuck._

 

He moves his fingers again.

 

A sudden crack. More sounds. Closer. More warmth.

 

_Come on._

 

And there it is. Light. So much light. A brand new world outside the curtains of his sleepiness.

 

He opens and closes his eyes a couple times, actually unable to see anything.

A face is filling his view. Seems familiar. The lips, a little dry and pale, are moving.

 

“Ed? Edward..can you hear me?”

 

Sounds mean things, he recalls.

And this voice means everything to him.

 

“Roy” he rasps.

Colonel.

Commanding officer.

Friend.

Lover.

 

Roy is standing up beside his bed. He sits on the edge of the mattress. Hands run skillful on his skin. They sketch his neck, jaw, forehead. They put his hair back in place.

“You woke up. You woke up..” Roy keeps saying, unable to stop moving. Edward is overwhelmed with warmth and sights in relief.  

He closes his eyes a moment. When he opens them again he focuses on the man in front of him. Roy has eyes red from crying. He is wearing a white jumpsuit. He has bandages on his arm.

Also, Edward notices to be lying in bed but this definitely is not Roy’s house. The smell of disinfectant answers him. Hospital. The room is wide and aseptic in its design. Two single beds take up most of the space. A chair between his bed and the window, a second-rate armchair in front of it.

 

How did he end up here?

 

Something is off. He was..fighting.

 

No. Trying to save Roy.

 

Roy was shot.

 

And everything that happened is coming back to him in a vortex of emotions, disgust and fear. The rhythm of his breathing betrays him, foreshadowing the upcoming panic attack. Roy’s eyes go wide.

“You..he shot you” Edward says, moving nervously to get rid of the blankets and free himself from their weight. Roy’s hands come to stop him.

“Edward, calm down. Breath.”

He shakes his head in denial.

“The Gat- ..playing with my mind..“

“No! No, love, it’s ok. I’m here” He squeezes his arm gently. Warm hand. It feels so fucking good.

“This is real. You made it. _We_ made it.”

 

Edward tries to keep his breath under control.  Is it real?

“Are you ok?”

And it seems Roy is going to cry again any moment now and that sounds like a no.

 “Yes, yes. I am ok..” Roy lowers his head to rest on Edward’s chest like it’s made of fucking crystal. Edward wants to say something but his mouth tastes like ash.

It feels like he spent a lifetime in the desert.

“Here, drink some water. Small gulps though. Doctor said.” He didn’t even notice the other moving to bring the glass from the night stand.

The first sips are a bless.

“What..happened?“

“Do you remember what happened after..after Lokan gave you the knife?”

“I..did what he wanted. Then..I don’t know..I just remember you shouting at me. It was like waking up. I saw him with the gun. I went for him. He shot you before I could-”

And yes, this could be real but there is something definitely off. Roy shouldn’t be there on his bed side. Shouldn’t be able to get out of bed at all. Edward brings his eyes back on him.

“He shot you. Why..how can you be ok?” . His voice is an octave higher than usual, dazed.

He takes a careful look at Roy. Before he woke up, he has been sitting in the chair on his left, a crutch leaning on it. He has bandages as well, even if the redness of his cheeks promises a fast recovery.

Simply not possible.

He tries to get up in order to examine him, touch him. Whatever.

“Edward, no. You need to stay down. I’m fine, I promise.”

“Why am I here?” Roy is the one supposed to be in hospital.

“Do you remember what you did after that?”

 

Edward concentrates. “There was too much blood. I had to ..” but the words leave him.

He looks up, speechless. Roy’s gaze could melt his automails.

“Edward”. He brings his hand to cup his cheek as he closes the distance between them. Edward can smell Roy’s scent and it calms him down a little.

“You scared the shit out of me. You.. . started drawing around the both of us like you were possessed. You didn’t listen to me. And then you cut your arm..” Roy trembles just talking about it.

Edward can’t do much more then swallow.

 

“I’m sorry but I had to.”

Roy is frowning deeply.

“Is this because of what..because he made you do-“

“No, god no.” Edward can’t help but shiver at the thought. “I did it. I had to save you.”

Silence falls between them. He closes his eyes for a moment. He’s still so tired.

He opens them and Roy is still there, tears on his face.

 

“And why on Earth you thought you could be expendable? Yes, I survived. But how could I live without you?!”

 

This time Edward finds the strength to raises his hand just enough to swept them away.

 

“I couldn’t let you die either”

 

Roy stares at him for a moment, then lowers and kisses him.

 

 

And this _is_ real. The realest thing Edward can think about. Because neither he nor the Gate could be able to make this up.

 

He saved him.

 

He responds at Roy’s kiss at his best, doubt and fear replaced by relief and something like victory.

 

Roy’s eyes shadows in despair when they break apart, “You barely made it. The others brought us at the hospital as soon as they could. I.. you were so much worse. Alphonse was out of his mind. “

“How is he?” He remembers Al showing up, but not much more.

“Physically, fine. But I think you will spend an interesting amount of time trying to allay him. Yesterday Havoc had to bring him out for a walk. Otherwise, he has always been here.”

 “How much have I been out?”

“Seven days”

“Fuck”.

A sudden coughing attack makes him silent for the next minute. Roy gives him something more to drink.

 

“Edward, what you did..while we were down there”, he pauses, “did you know what you were doing?”

 

“I..kind of felt it” he admits. “It usually happens with Amestrian alchemy, too. I need to transmute, a circle pops up in my mind. It was something like that..just more intense”. It is a shitty explanation but it will do for the moment. They have time.

“And your purpose was healing me?”

“I was trying to save you. So, yeah..”

Roy is nibbling at his lip. He never does.

“What’s wrong?” Edward jerks anxious.

“Everything is fine. No sudden moves. You are still very weak.”

“Roy, what’s wrong?” he demand with a faint voice he can’t recognize as his own.

“Down there, you healed me. Almost completely. The knee is fine and I have just a superficial wound” says, touching his chest, “Although, I’m not the only one you healed.”

And saying so, he let his hand brushing Edward’s neck, down to his collarbone. Edward imitates him. The arm feels so heavy. Under his fingers, smooth skin.

“No more scars.” If Roy wasn’t already so close he would miss Edward’s whispers.

“No broken hand. And no cut on your arm.” Edward is already raising it to take a look but Roy grabs his wrist.

“Edward, you were able to heal both yourself and me.” He keeps eye contact, not letting go.

 

He is not saying something. Something important.

 

Edward’s mind is still sleepy from the medicines and needs a few moments to get it. But he does, eventually.

“Then why am I here?”

 

Roy moves his hands on Edward’s arm and starts undoing the bandages.

When he finishes, he turns it so that Edward can see his own forearm.

 

The skin is perfectly healed. No cut.

Same goes for his hand.

 

However, Edward shatters in shock.

 

There, a couple inches below his wrist, three vermillion letters.

 

**_Roy_ **

 

“Shh, shh, Edward. It’s ok. Edward, look.” And he is undoing the bandages on his own arm. Edward stares astonished as he uncovers a very familiar name on his own skin. **_Edward_.**

“I..did this?”

“Well, you made it possible. Although, I think we can share responsibility.” He replies, calm.

Edward is staring at Roy’s arm, speechless.

“It seems you nearly spent all your energy for this transmutation to succeed. Exhaustion is a pretty word compared to what you did to yourself. ” However, Edward keeps staring at his arm.

“I’m sorry.” He murmurs.

“What for? “

“That..I did this to you..” and gently brushes his fingers on Roy’s mark. Interesting enough, Roy can’t hide a shiver.

 Edward voices his thoughts continuing, “You were .. and I acted without thinking about the consequences and now-“ he can’t even look at him in the eyes.

Roy shakes his head and cups his face, raising it to meet his gaze again. “Love, both your brother and I spent this last days talking about it. We don’t understand it. But I definitely know something.” And saying so, he lightly touches Edward’s mark.

 

“I..feel you” The realization is sudden and electrifying.

“It’s more than just this. We are..connected, to some extent. Before, when you were panicking, I could _taste_ your fear. I don’t know how much are you sensing now with the drugs and all that happened to you.. I had days to get used to it and..”

He is trying to find the right words but Edward preceeds him, “You are happy”

“That’s..amazing.” ha says, shaking his head. And even if he couldn’t feel the sincerity of what Roy is saying, his eyes are bright with excitement and joy.  Which turn into quieter happiness as he continues, “I know these are unexplored waters for the both of us, but we’ll be fine, Ed. This is not something you did. It was already here” and pushes his finger over Edward’s chest.

“And here” Edward adds, tugging Roy’s shirt. That’s true. Roy risked to die in order to save him and he was willing to sacrifice himself for the same reason. They loved each other. Deeply, without restriction. The mark didn’t add anything to them. It just..transmuted their feelings into something physical.

A special kind of Philosopher’s Stone.

 

When he was there, he told Roy he loved him thinking he would not have other chances.

He has never been so glad to be proven wrong.

“I love you, you know.” His voice is still terrible, so it all results in a rasped declaration.  

Roy lets out a quiet laugh “I think that’s the whole point”.

More kisses and murmured words follow, in the quiet afternoon. The sun paints the sunset in red and cream strokes, disappearing beyond the horizon, outside the window.

“You need to rest”.

“I have slept for eight days, I rested long enough” but his eyes are already giving him away.

“Were you saying?” Roy mocks him when he closes his eyes and needs a few seconds to open them again.

“Shut up”.

Roy laughs quietly.

“Please, don’t go away”.

“Make some room” Roy is already moving. He sits on the bed and lays beside him, over the blankets. Edward moves closer and lays his head between Roy’s shoulder and chest.

“Need to be out of here soon” he murmurs, already falling asleep.

Damn him.

“Sleep.”

“Need to cook”.

He knows Roy’s smiling at him.

“Is that so?”

“You’r-too thin.” He pauses “Not soft”

“Sleep”

“Mhmh”

 

 

 "I love you too"

 

 

 

 

Riza is coming back from the Headquarters. It has been a rough week. Edward still unconscious and Roy unwilling to leave his side for more than a few moments. Having him checked by the doctor has been almost impossible.

Havoc managed to convince Alphonse to go home and get some rest – and a shower- before coming back to hospital. Roy is another matter, though.

They are still wondering about the consequences of Edward’s actions and the best thing is keeping all of it under the wraps. That means no one except them knows about it.

And Doctor Knox. He started working at the Military Hospital soon after the Promised Day. They asked him for help as soon as Roy explained how important was to keep it a secret. Roy was almost unconscious by the time they come in his aid, and still ordered to Alphonse to destroy every evidence of alchemy.

She stops on her way upstairs to take some sandwiches for him to eat. He is not going to do any good if he lets himself starve to death. He can eat them in Edward’s room, at least.

Doctor Knox made it possible to have a room in a separated ward. He is the only one allowed in it, along with the rest of the team and Alphonse.

They all confirmed a report about the accident involving the Colonel, Edward and a rogue alchemist, unknown to the authorities, who was involved in the assassination of a certain Mr.Colmar. Then they justified the protection measures at the hospital with the fear of revengeful accomplices.

She arrives in front of the room, coffee and sandwiches in her hands, as she hazards a look through the half closed door.

_Oh_

Roy is laying in bed, Edward in his arms.

During the last days he never spent more then a few moment in bed, when Doctor Knox needed to check on him.

Sleeping like this, with Edward by his side, can mean just one thing.

She abandons the food and beverage on the nearest chair and reaches the first telephone in sight.

Alphonse picks up almost immediately.

“Hello?”

“Alphonse, it’s me. He woke up”.

 

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! First, communications.  
> \- This probably is the second last chapter of the story.  
> \- I am positive about a sequel ( I already have some trilling ideas), but I need time to work on it and I'd prefer to write it from start to end before posting it.  
> -Also, I'll correct the various chapter I wrote so far, without worrying about deadlines XD  
> \- I'd like to know your impressions about the whole story - and a possible sequel- once it's finished.

Edward wakes up at some point, having no idea of how much he slept. He feels exhausted even if better than before. Roy’s presence by his side was comforting and he fell asleep eventually. He rolls over in bed, looking for him.

However, Roy is nowhere in sight. The chair he was sitting on when he first woke up looks back at him, empty.

“He’ll be back soon, don’t worry”

In the dim light of the room he needs a moment to find his brother, sitting on the armchair in front of the bed.

“Al..”

He tries to get up to have a better look, but Alphonse is faster and approaches the bed.

“Slow down, you idiot” he says, not the lightest trace of disappointment in his voice

Edward huffs and lays back on the cushions, looking at the ceiling. He feels more lucid than when he woke up that afternoon. Still tired as fuck but himself again. He brings his eyes back to his brother.

Alphonse is staring at him.

Better to take the bull by the horns.

“I’m so sorry that I made you worry” Edward says in one breath, his eyes shut, already prepared to the consequences of his actions.

Alphonse keeps staring for a second, on his face an unreadable mask.

Then gives a hint of a laugh, scowling his head.

“At least this time you are sincere”

“I really am” Edward assures, biting his lower lip.

“I know, Brother, but that’s not..” He rubs the back of his neck, “The point is, you would do that all over again, don’t you?” He doesn’t expect an answer, he already knows it, “And I have to accept it. That’s..I need to work on it.”

“You are.. not angry at me?”

“Well, _I am_ ” Alphonse glares at him “ You acted recklessly but I am more angry at myself right now, so I think this time you’ll get away with it”.

Edward looks down at his arm, thoughtful.

“Did he tell you what happened?” Edward brings himself to ask. He doesn’t mean just the last events.

“I.. Ling told me what happened to you. Then ..Mustang updated about all the rest.”

Edward takes a moment to absorb it. He should apologize with him. He deserved to know the truth from the beginning.

“Edward, it’s ok.” And Alphonse is already hugging him leaving no room for anything else.

“Did he tell you about this, too?” asks waving his arm when they break apart. The mark has been hidden again with bandages, probably by Roy.

 

“Yes, he did. We..after the transmutation you activated faded away, you lost senses and the boundary vanished. We reached for you both. The Colonel asked me to destroy every drawing. During these days, he tried to explain to me what he knew. Although, I think we’ll need to work on this once you get better.”

Despite Roy’s reassurances, there was too much they didn’t know. Both his and Al’s heritage as Xerxenians, the extent of this bond and its power. Also, his risks.

First thing on the agenda was getting out of the fucking hospital, though.

“I agree” Edward murmurs sighting.

 

 

 

 

The next days flowed both rapidly and slowly. Edward regained his strength and Doctor Knox was satisfied with his improvements.

Also, he received visits from both the team and Ling.

Roy spent most of the time by his side, when work or sleep didn’t come first.  It was nice being finally able to relax without the fear that constantly followed him since the past year.

Once being left alone, he decides to confront Roy on another matter.

“So, are you gonna tell me why I am the only patient on the floor?” Edward starts off.

Roy sights heavily. Of course Edward would have noticed.

“I..thought it would be better to keep everything that happened in the last days a secret.”

Edward doesn’t intervene, so he continues.

“The Lieutenant reported to the Fuhrer and the other generals, according to a version we all confirmed in our statements.”

He slowly explains, “According to it, you and I have been attacked while investigating, by a rogue alchemist which we don’t know so much about except for the fact that he could have been related to the case we have been dealing with in the East.”

He brushes his hair back. “Despite you healing me, when the others reached us, down there, I was on the verge of passing out for the blood loss. At first I just thought about destroying every evidence of whatever alchemy you performed because I was _terrified_ by the military to find out. The transmutation caused a terrible roar and pretty everyone inside the Headquarters felt it. They were on their way to reach us. We had to act rapidly. Then, while the others were picking you up, Hawkeye noticed the mark on your arm. I checked my arm and there was its match. I covered you with my coat and told them not to tell anyone about it. About what happened. That we needed someone trustful to assist you. Then I must have passed out myself. I don’t remember that much. When I woke up I was here. Hawkeye thought Doctor Knox could help us. He is the only one allowed to come in other then me, Riza, the boys and your brother.”

He could hear Edward thinking about what he just said.

“Roy, do you think we are in danger?” he asks calmly.

“No one knows about what really happened.”

“That’s not what I asked”

Roy’s lips tights as he looks away toward the door, not actually looking at it.

“I don’t want anyone to find out about the bonds when we don’t know that much about them ourselves. Things might have changed since Bradley but .. there could be people interested. Maybe I am just being over protective but-”

 “No, you are not.” Roy raises his eyes on Edward, surprised.

Edward squeezes his hand reassuring him. “You are you. You foresee pretty much anyone’s moves. I trust you. We need to be careful.”  

 

 

 

 

The last day, they all come. The team, Alphonse, Ling and Doctor Knox, who is satisfied with Edward’s condition enough to discharge him. He also threatens to keep him there if he doesn’t listen to his prescription: absolute rest.

They all care about them, but their presence is required for another matter too. They still need to keep up appearances. According to the report Hawkeye provided the Fuhrer and his generals, they were attacked and possibly still under treat. Therefore, the security detail.

Edward has been waiting on the armchair, Roy’s gaze on him. He’s looking forward getting out after what seems an eternity. He’s just longing for home. And other things. Things definitely involving Roy and every plain surface of the house. After the initial shock they both got used to the most obvious effects of the bonds. They also noticed that the stronger the feeling was, the stronger they would feel it. Therefore during the last day they managed the whole thing pretty well, the bond feeling like a nice background. That said..

“Ed” Roy admonish him, clearly too aware of his thoughts route.

Although, Edward can say he’s more amused then anything else. Also, the dilating pupils are giving him away. He needs to work on being more subtle. .

Yeah, vertical surfaces, too.

“ _Edward_ ” Roy gets the chance to reiterate before the others enter the room.

 Everything has been checked and the cars are wainting for them downstairs. As Hawkeye explains, Edward is on medical leave -again- so he is not supposed to report anything for the next weeks. Without anyone knowing, they are going to keep looking for anything useful to Edward's research about Xerxes. Also, they are going to find the minions Lokan employed for his plans. They might know something, too.

Roy says addressing all the presents, “We still haven’t fully understand everything that happened. We provided a report and we’ll stick to it for the moment being. I would rather prefer to avoid further..complications.”

Edward nods. “Better to keep it under the wraps”.

He needed time to fully examine and understand the extent of what he did. These soulbonds, how they would interfere with their lives, everything. Last thing they need is the military to be nosy and decide they are better served as guinea pigs.

“Then here is something useful for you both” Ling answers them as he retrieves a present from his bag.

“I ordered them a few days ago. I picked the idea from the goldsmith but I though leather would suit you better for a daily use.”

Alphonse laughs, adding “He drove the man crazy over the details. But it’s worth it”.

Ling hands the present over to Edward. Roy sits down on the chair’s armrest, intrigued.

He slowly unwraps it. It is a box, contains two leather bracelets, around fifteen centimeters long, ravishly decorated with natural subjects. Flowers, lions, rivers, plants and other flourishes.

“Ling..that’s..” he’s trying to find the right words, his mouth open in awe .

“If you don’t like them, we can change th-“

“No!” Roy and Edward both exclaim alarmed. Ling smiles back, satisfied.

“No, they are cool.” Edward murmurs touching them. The leather is soft under his hand. “Very cool.”

“This way you will not need to worry about anyone to see the mark by accident”

Edward hands one of the bands over to Roy and they both put them on.

 “Thank you” Roy lowers his head grateful. Edward can say there is something off with him, but hasn’t the chance to ask.

 “One more thing” Alphonse announces, “You all know I am going to leave for Xing next week. My initial plan was studying alkaestry but now I have another goal, too. I am going to research the papers Ling told us about, looking for details about Xerxes alchemy and the marks. He granted me full access to the Imperial library. Hopefully, I will find something useful.”

“Al, that’s great!” Edward exclaims excited.

“Besides, he is going on several dates with a certain Chang princess, isn’t he?” Ling mocks happily, passing his arm on the boy’s shoulder.  

Al blushes furiously.

“That’s..not-what..I mean..”

“Let’s go” Roy suggest in the attempt to save him.

“Alphonse, listen to me” Havoc piles on it, “Fisrt thing, you need to choose the flowers carefully..”

The others are preceding them on the way out, speaking intensely. Roy’s fingers interlace with Edward’s as he says fondly “Let’s go home”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we know what the last chapter will be about, don't we? *w*


	24. Chapter 24

“Are you hungry?” Roy asks looking for the keys and opening the front door.

The others have just dropped them off and left, promising to catch up later tomorrow. Alphonse is going to leave within a week, so there is still a little time. Nevertheless, he is going to miss him as fuck.

“Not really” Edward answers, following him inside, “just happy to be back”.

He rapidly gets rid of the shoes and precedes Roy in the living room. He couldn’t say if he was worried about finding anything changed but that’s not the case. The living room, the shelves filled with books, the sofa. A few steps and there is the door half opened on the kitchen. The garden, as marvellous as ever, is calling him from the window. It’s just..home.

All of sudden, he loses contact with the floor, Roy raising him up like a braid.

“What the hell?!” Edward yelps. He tries to anchor himself to Roy’s neck.

“You need to rest. You can check the house later.”

“That’s not-“

“I know you. Now, shut up or I’ll bring you back to the hospital.”

Edward curses, more bored then pissed.  “Fine.”

 

If everything in the house seems unchanged, for some reason Edward can’t help an unusual change of mood when Roy moves toward the bedroom.

Yes, back at the hospital he drove him kind of crazy because he couldn’t keep his mind quiet. He thought about having sex very, very carefully during his recovery. Completely on board.

However, he is now overwhelmed by nervousness, unable to look up at Roy for the whole time he is in his arms. He concentrates on Roy’s shirt instead.

 “Edward”

They are in the bedroom. Roy must have stopped but Edward was too focused to notice.

“What is it?”

“Nothing..” Edward gulps, nervous. “I..like your shirt”, his hands still hanging on Roy’s broad shoulders.

Roy is observing him, curious.

 “You are nervous.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. Why?”

_Why? Because I am alive and here and you are here and alive as well. And I want you to make me yours in every way you know but I don’t know how because I have never.._

And, God, he really needs to work on emotional self control because Roy’s eyes darkens.

“Edward, you-”

“Put me down”.

He does and waits and Edward can’t really stay silent. “I..I just..” and grabs handful of Roy’s shirt, “I need..”, but his brain just gives up. He opts for actions instead, kissing Roy without notice.

Roy startles but can’t say to be displeased and in fact he barely managed to ~~think about anything else~~ during the last days. Being assaulted by friends’ and colleagues’ visits meant they hadn’t a lot of time to spend on their own.

He indulges for a couple minutes before pushing away with a warm smile.

 

“Believe me, I want this as much as you do, but you really should rest. Doctor Knox said-“

 

“I know what he said. And I know what _I am_ saying-”.

 

“Then tell me this” Roy cups his face and whispers in a lower voice “It’s your first time, isn’t it?”

 

Edward stays silent, unable to look away.

 

“Does it matter?” he finally asks, his voice unsure and vulnerable.

 

As if Roy could ever reject him.

 

“It does, but not because of what you are thinking”. And he kisses him before making it clearer.

“It does because I love you. It does because you are mine. It does because among everyone you still chose me and I can’t even begin to comprehend it,” and Edward definitely is going to interrupt him on this one, so he shuts him up with his finger and keeps talking, “and the last thing I want is for you not to feel at ease. We have time.”

“I want this. I want this with you. And I know you want it, too.”

 

Roy’s inner dilemma is evident. He keeps brushing Edward’s hair, maybe hoping to find a different answer from the one he has already settled on.

“I..if you promise to tell me if it is too much, I guess we..”  

And Edward reduces him to silence by kissing him again.

“Then we have a deal” he prompts between a breath and a smile.

 

 He pushes Roy until his legs collide with the bed and Roy falls back sitting on the bed hedge.

“You brat”

Edward keeps his grinning lips on Roy’s as he sets himself on the bed, knees embracing the other’s pelvis. He dominates the kiss now, having conquered a towering position.

Roy responds kiss him back, letting his hands travelling down Edward’s back, then slipping them under the shirt.

Edward grabs Roy’s shirt and starts undoing the buttons. Roy is not willing to remove his hands form where they are, but Edward’s gestures are demanding. Once the shirt is out of the way, Edward pushes him down and chooses the neck as new target, depositing hard-breathed kisses and little laps alike.

 

 “You said you were not hungry” Roy teases him.

 

He feels Edward’s lips curving into a smile before lowering to take care of his chest.

 

“I lied”

 

He licks the collarbone and sprinkles wet kisses on his way down, savouring him.

Then everything just stops. Roy raises his head enough to see Edward staring at something.

No, not something. By now, the injury on his chest healed completely and left a fresh and neat scar. Edward is looking at it with dark eyes.

He considers it for a moment, then lowers again and connects it with his lips. He literally covers it in rapid, light kisses, not leaving a millimetre ignored. They are so different from the kisses of a few seconds ago. The passion didn’t leave but left room to pure devotion.

 

It might be the tender and oversensitive tissue of the scar, his emotions, or the fact that Edward is treasuring him like this. Maybe all three of them. It makes his heart clench. He feels his eyes watering dangerously and the compelling need to get closer, closer, until there is nothing left between them.

“Edward, let me-“

 

He is at loss of words but somehow Edward understands and gets up enough to give him the space to adjust on the bed. Edward tries to retrieve back his position by assaulting his mouth, but he thinks better and pushes him down on the mattress sliding a hand behind his neck to hold him close.

He doesn’t meet resistance.

This might not be his first time ever, but it’s Edward’s. Their first time together. And he is going to make it unforgettable. If Edward showed his will, now it’s his turn.

 

Roy decides to drive him crazy and mesmerize him with wet, slow kisses, no room left to doubts about his desires.  He sucks and nibbles at the other’s lips just for the sake of savouring them with his tongue, deeper and deeper, parting them until Edward gives up and grants him full access to his mouth, moving his hands from Roy’s shoulders to his neck, and holding to it.

 

The rhythm slows down, the rush turns into a calmer dance of hearts. They have both been wondering if the sensation of having a bond would eventually become a habit. Right now the answer would certainly be no. How could someone get used to have a glimpse of the other’s feelings, to be able to foresee their needs, demands, desires? Get used to the awareness of being the centre of their world, and vice versa?

And Roy tries to conveys it all, and so much more, in every gasp, in every touch, in every shiver.

 

Edward answers by stretching his arms just to keep him a little closer, his blood singing in his veins.

 

Until he decides he wants more and hangs on to him with his flesh leg. They are both hard. Roy lets out an indecent moan right in his mouth. Then again. And he needs to take breath.

 

“You are..impossible”, he groans.

 

Edward goes on brushing his leg with Roy’s.

 

“Yeah?” he answers back, gasping.

 

 “You are..gorgeous..” Roy moves along with Edward’s body.

 

He presses his head into the bed. “Fuck”.

 

Roy gets up to get rid of both trousers and pants. He does it without losing eye contact, not without a certain elegance of movements. And Edward wonders where he could have learnt.

 

He couldn’t ignore the hardness while they were laid, but seeing Roy naked in front of him is mesmerizing never the less.

 

Edward’s cheeks are on fire. His eyes wide with desire.

Roy is clearly aiming to drive him crazy because keeps looking at him while slowly raising his arm, the arm with the leather bracelet, and begins undoing its belts.

He never speaks but the meaning of it is as strong as if he did.

 

_Here, now, there is no hiding. This is us, and I want it all._

 

He throws the bracelet on the floor and close the distance between them – no more than a few steps and still it feels like a lifetime-.

Roy gently takes his hand and removes his bracelet as well. It goes on the floor.

Then he turns to walk toward the bathroom and comes back in a moment, a bottle of lube in his hands.

Although, he leaves it on the bed stand as he joins back Edward. Who is overdressed.

 

Roy lays down to assault his mouth and lets his hands wonder under the shirt, then down, down, making them wander under the hem of the trousers, silently asking for permission.

 

“Help me” Edward simply answers him. Edward undoes the zip of the trousers and they remove them. Pants, too.

 

He starts tugging Edward’s shirt to get it over his head. A falls of golden locks pour down his shoulders and Roy thinks he really shouldn’t be allowed to watch a treasure like this. He now understands all those stories about dragons obsessively guarding their gold.

 

And he catches Roy staring.

 

“What is it?”

 

Roy doesn’t answer. He grabs Edward’s chin and kisses him roughly. Edward moans, visibly pleased and they both lay down again. The younger alchemist locks his arms around the other’s neck. Roy spreads his legs, massaging the inside of his flesh thigh, giving him shivers.

 

“Is everything ok?” Roy whispers.

 

“Better” Edward exhales.

 

Roy takes his chance and starts stroking Edward’s length.

 

“Ah!”

Edward loses himself in shivers of pleasure, panting heavier and heavier at each stroke.

 

“I need for you..to relax” he heard Roy says in a low tone when his hand lowers down to prepare him.

 

The feeling is not as painful as he thought. Maybe that’s because Roy is really caring too much or..

 

“Did you.. already..?” Edward hates himself for the question – and the timing- but his mouth moves by its own will.

Roy stops for a moment, pulling back.

 

“Actually..I have never been with a man so.. I guess it’s a first time for me too.”

 

And something down in Edward’s soul just sings _mine._

 

Then the fingers are back where they belong.

 

“But don’t worry, I know what I am doing”.

 

Edward doesn’t doubt it for a second and gets along with his moves and decides to reach and stroke Roy’s hardness as well.

He gains a loud groan in response.

 

“If you..keep doing that..”

 

One more finger. “Ah-!”

 

“..I won’t last long.”

Roy’s free hand grabs Edward wrist and traps his hand beside his head, deciding to keep it there by interlacing their sweaty fingers.

A few seconds and he pull back again. Edward groans, yearning for more.

 

Roy is breathing hard, brushing his lips right against his ear. Edward can smell his swet and it is the most intoxicating thing ever. Roy smells of wood, and leaves after a day of rain. He smells like home. And that’s the best thing in the world.

 

“Tell me.. what you want”  he whispers in a rough voice that sends what was left of his brain on premium leave.

 

 “Mark me” Edward prompts him, though his voice sounds a little defenceless.

 

He pulls in. Roy is doing his best to hold back enough to give Edward the time he needs, and it is excruciating. He strokes Edward in the attempt to make him relax a little. He devotes his attentions to a particular spot on Edward’s neck that he noticed to be most sensitive. He is going to have bruises by tomorrow.

 

Not that it matters. The whole world will know he is his, marks or not.

 

Edward must know what he is thinking because he huffs.

 “You.. _bastard_ ”

 

“Dind’t you..hn.. ask for a mark?”

 

Edward’s voice regains his usual flare for a moment “That’s not what I-“ but Roy decides to give a first, little thrust and Edward _just can’t_ think anything anymore. Every cell of his brain is required to process everything he is experiencing.

 

“I know” Roy’s low voice is melting his brain -if it is fucking possible-.

 

No answer. Just laboured breath. Hot, trembling skin in his hands.

 

“Edward..?”

 

“Roy..” Edward’s voice sounds a little strained.

 

Roy freezes.

 

“If it’s too much, if you wanna stop-“

 

Edward moves closer and cuts off his breath.

“Ah..nh..”

 

“..again” Edward’s eyes lock with his. “Again”

 

So Roy thrusts deeper, once, two times.

 

Three.

 

Then they just stop caring.

 

“Oh”

 

“God, you are..”

 

 

 

“Roy..ah!”

 

Edward is completely gone. His eyes are two ponds rimmed in gold, his skin burning under Roy’s knowing touch. He bares his fingers in Roy’s tousled hair to kiss him.

 

 

“Ed..just trust me, ok?”

 

Roy’s arms come to embrace him and to help him to stand, sitting on his lap. They never break apart and continue in a tight rhythm.

 

And Roy seriously should know better. Edward’s look promises trouble.

In fact, he makes their foreheads collide as he starts riding him, their lips accidentally brushing now and then in the process of driving Roy out of his mind.

 

“Roy..Roy..”

 

 

The recipient of his prayers saves him with a final thrust that sends him over the edge.

 

“Ed, I..”

 

 

Roy keeps moaning something. It is after a few seconds that Edward’s brain, still mesmerized, gets what he is saying, over and over, as he comes.

 

 

His name.

 

 

 

 

 

 They lay back in the bed soon after, a perfect mess of metal and flesh limbs.

“Why is that ..we waited so long..” Roy thinks out loud, still panting.

“..before doing this? Yeah” Edward preceeds him, “Same” he exhales.

 

The erratic beats of their hearts echoes in the otherwise silent room.

 

“Well..there was a robbery..” Edward offers, “and a murder.”

Roy huffs and adds neutrally “And then a psychopath kidnapped us”

They hold back for about three seconds before bursting into quiet laughs.

 

“Do you realise our lives are crazy, right?” Edward whispers.

 

“I wouldn’t like them any different” Roy says firmly. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be there now.

Roy lets his hands wander on the other’s naked back, tracing the line of his spine with a finger.

 

“And what is it that you want? Edward asks, his eyes getting sleepier as they talk.

 

“I can’t think about wanting something else at all.”

 

“What about Fuhrership?” he prompts Roy.

 

“Point taken. But I think we can worry about that on a later date.”

 

“Not too late, though.”

 

He plants a kiss on Edward’s forehead.

“What about you?”

 

“Just had sex with you.” A big yarn makes Roy realize that they should indeed get some rest. Especially Edward.

 

“Come here” he suggests and turns on his side, ready to embrace him. Edward moves closer and rest his head against his chest.

 

“Anything else on your list of desires?” Roy asks after a moment.

 

“Wanna see the ocean.” Edward lets out, half-asleep.

 

“What?”

 

“You did. Would you take me?”

 

 “I have no idea what you are talking about” Roy mocks him, but yawns in turn.

 

“Saw the photos” Edward murmurs as if it would explain everything, his eyes closed.

 

“I’ll bring you wherever you want”

 

“Lov-you”

 

Roy hugs him tighter and surrenders to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand of course this is not the last chapter. I ended up writing A LOT.  
> During the next weeks I'm going to post it so bare with me.  
> I spent days writing, cancelling and writing again. A certain couple deserves it XD
> 
> ps: thank you for all the kudos and comments, blessing and chocolate to everyone!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For once, notes before the update. THIS is the last chapter.   
> When I started writing it months ago, I would have never imagined it would end up this long. And you guys have been amazingly kind and funny and PATIENT with me and I thank you so much. Whoever said energy can't be created out from nowhere, just transformed, never considered kindness. It's free and can fuel the world.  
> I am gonna be so sad now that the fic is finished XD
> 
> See you soon with a new story about our favourite alchemists <3

“We’ll have to get up, eventually”

“Please, just a moment”

“Lazy idiot”

 

 

 

“It’s 2pm, why didn’t you wake me?”

“I tried. “

 

 

 

Edward already got a shower and now Roy is having his round as well.

“What do you want to eat?” he shouts toward the bathroom door, draining his hair with a towel

Roy answers something about Gracia popping by and leaving something in the fridge. The sound of the running water covers half of it.

Edward shakes his head and tells to himself rather than to Roy “How did you managed so far?”

If he wants to cook something, he absolutely needs one of his hairbands. God knows where the one he was wearing before ended up. The bed is a mess. He starts looking for one in the pockets of his jacket but his hand finds paper instead. He grabs it.

His father’s letter. The one Alphonse gave him.

 

_‘Please, I know your feelings, but I already red mine, so please consider reading yours instead of destroying it without even opening it.’_

 

“Whatever” he gives up and sits down on the floor to open it. He waits a moment before opening the sheets, maybe hoping for any kind of interruption. Apparently, the universe disagrees. He breaths in and starts reading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    _Edward,_

_I am on a train back to Resembol while writing this. I left you both at the hospital, promising to catch up in the evening. I will not and I am so sorry. I feel my body deteriorating now that I lost the stones’ power. I hope I will make in time to come back to Trisha._

_I know your feelings and I can’t imagine what you had to face because of the choices I made. However, I have a duty toward you, not just as a father. Along with your brother, we also are the last living people (as far as it concerns me, that will change very soon) of an extinct race. You need to know some things related to your heritage and I will not have other chances._

_You already know part of my history. I was born a slave. My master used my blood and gave birth to the Dwarf in the Flask. You know what happened next._

_What you don’t know is that the sacrifice wasn’t just about human souls. It was about their bonds, too. I am going to explain. The Soul Bond was something peculiar of our people. In ancient times, other countries had stories about us and about how we could arrange marriage out of love and devotion rather then position or money. Every Xerxenian developed a unique mark on their body within their 17 th year, the name of their soulmate. The person you were destined to. I know it might seem like a fairytale but it is not._

_When I was a boy, I knew what my life was supposed to be alike. I was a slave. But I had someone waiting for me, just for me, on my way. The person whom name I carried on my body. My soulmate. That day, I was the only one to survive, other than the homunculus. Once I woke up, I saw that my mark was gone. And I wanted to kill myself because I was responsible for my mate’s death. For everyone’s death, I always felt responsible. This one was worse. I felt like I killed them myself._

_Time passed. I kept whispering my soulmate’s name every night of every month of every year. I needed to remember that name, even if I lost it forever. It was my personal atonement. Knowing that I lost my chance to be with them._

_I spent many years wandering through lands and people, until I arrived in a small village in the East where I had a friend, a mechanic. The mechanic’s family offered me a place to stay for the season. One day, I was reading inside the house when a young woman came in, looking for her friend, the mechanic’s daughter. She was your mother, Edward._

_She looked me up and down, then asked me if I was a client. I said no, so she told me to follow her outside and help her with the apples’ harvest._

_We ended up spending the day together, talking and laughing, as I never did before. When we finished she thanked me and said she owed me a favor. I asked her “Then I need to know who owes me a favor, so I’ll know when I come back”. She put on the most stunning smile and said “The name is Trisha”._

_You already got that, do you? Trisha was the name I carried on my skin and then on my conscience all those years. I started crying and sobbing without any restrain. I probably freaked her out. I spent almost four centuries thinking that the mark was gone because my soulmate was dead. At the time I’d never considered the eventuality that the Bonds could have been just disappeared, as a part of the transmutation deal. How could I?_

_I asked her to listen to my story as repayment. What happened next you can imagine._

_I felt blessed beyond understanding. Then you were born and I knew I was wrong, once more._

_Edward, you need to know what I am about to say but what you are going to do with this information is up to you._

_When I was young I heard various stories about the Bond. Some songs describe it as a flower, other as a vow. That_ thing _stealed me and every other Xerxenian of our Bonds_.

_Although,_ you _could be able to gain it back, if you ever wanted to._

_I started my researches once you were born and both your mother and I started wondering about it. You have dominant Xerxenian traits, a predisposition toward alchemy and, as far as we know, you are the first person to be born from a truly bonded couple in_ literally _centuries._

_We think you could have your chance to retrieve this Bond and meet someone who is worth of your love. Unfortunately, I don’t know how but I trust you and your brother’s abilities. You will have to do a lot of researches but that is your field, after all._

_It is also possible that you will find them without needing a Bond at all. Because, like happened to your mother and me, sometimes destiny can be stronger than anything else._

_It is your choice to make. It is your birthright and it just felt right to me giving you this opportunity. This is a valid option for your brother as well, now that he has got his body back. Once he reaches the age, you can explain things to him._

_Lastly, words can’t explain how proud I am of the young man you are turning yourself into. You fought despite all the odds for your friends and your beloved ones, putting all you had on stick. That is true courage. Your mother and I won’t be there to see your next steps, but we will be by your side. Always._

_Dad_

_PS.  I met that Colonel of yours outside the hospital and I asked him to keep an eye on you, since I won’t be able to. He seems a good person._

 

 

 

“Edward” Roy’s worried voice intrudes in the chaos of his thoughts.

 He is standing right in front of him. Edward raises his eyes and realize he can’t see Roy very well through the tears. He roughly rubs his eyes.

“When we..Alphonse brought me a letter. From.. my dad.”

Roy is frowning.

“He wrote it before he died.” He coughs, trying to regulate his tone.

“You should read it”, he says handing it over.

“Edward, I don’t know if-“ but he’s shaking his head and pushes the sheets in his hands.

“No, you don’t understand. Read it”

And Roy does. Uncertainty leaves place to shock and understatement.

He brings his eyes back on Edward.

“I knew how much your father was a hot spot for you and I never mentioned. Once, Alphonse told me you didn’t take it well when you find out he left without saying goodbye.”

Edward was in hospital with his brother at the time and he didn’t really noticed his absence because he was so worried for Al and everything. Then Pinako called them. He didn’t even let her finish. He run back to his brother and lay in on the bed, crying and whining, unwilling to admit how much it hurt him.

And because Al was amazing, he managed to keep everyone out of his room for the rest of the day, hugging him as tight as he could manage due to his conditions, until Edward passed out from exhaustion.

“That’s a way to put it”.

Roy evaluates the letter in his hands for a moment, then frowns.

“Edward?”

“Yeah?”

“When is your birthday?”

And that completely washes away every worry, at least for the moment. Edward bursts out into laughs.

“Not a chance I’m gonna tell you.”

 

 

 

Roy woke up in the hospital a few hours later his man rescued them. He spent every moment by Edward’s side when the Doctor didn’t demand for a checkup. The news of their involvement in an accident got viral and he couldn’t help calling one of the Madam’s girls through a secure line, in order to reassure his aunt.

That said, he hasn’t had the chance to pay her a proper visit yet. That’s why the next morning he wakes up early and decides to go out for a walk, leaving Edward sleeping peacefully in his bed.

At this hour, the pub would be closed, but in the morning the Madam likes to spend some time alone in there. He still remembers it from the time he spent there, as a young boy. He is sure to find her. As he does.

“Madam”

The woman is standing beyond the counter, calmly tidying up.  She looks up at him without showing any surprise.

“You look..alive”

He shrugs in agreement as he walks up to the bar and sits down on one of the stools. She pours him some whisky.  

“Thank you and sorry for not coming sooner..I’ve been busy”

“So I am told.“

She finishes her drink before undertaking her attack.

“Now, would you mind explain me what _actually_ happened?”

He silently takes a sip, buying time.

“That’s complicated” he answers.

She exhales, annoyed.

“It’s always complicated when you are involved. It was when you went buying troubles as a boy, and it still is.” She pierce him with a severe look. Roy knows better. She is worried.

“Just answer: are you ok?”

“I am”

“Is he?”

“Yes”

“Than we are good. And please, consider to introduce him sooner or later. I’m tired of the girls‘ continuous ramblings about how hot and charming your little alchemist is.”

 “I’ll consider it as soon as he recovers. If you promise to not threat him.”

“I am your aunt. If he is serious about this, I have all intentions to.”

It’s not a question, but her glare demands an answer nonetheless.

“Yes, he is. And I am as well.”

She snorts but Roy can tell it is just to pun on the show. He beams at her, but the Madam is not going to give in any time soon and turns her back to put the glasses back on the shelves. He chuckles.

The pub’s cat, Doro –who Roy named many years ago-, decides to honour them with a rapid appearance. He lets Roy cuddle him, then runs away, busy.

“How are you? Everything all right?”

“As usual. I have no significant news from Creta, yet. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.”

“Good”

They stay silent for a while. Roy finishes his drink and puts down the glass.

“Madam, I was thinking.. is there a chance I have ever seen the sea?”

She keeps polishing the glass in her hands, then places it on the shelf before turning back to him.

“Absolutely not. Why? Longing for the honey moon?”

Roy rolls his eyes, “Forget I asked. Just something Edward said.”

He stands up and takes his jacket. “Never mind. I have to go now”

“Work?”

“Actually, I have a present to collect”

“Diamonds?” she asks in her best sarcastic tone.

Roy laughs with bright eyes. A shiver of pleasure runs down the Madam’s spine. She probably has never seen him like this.

“Actually..I was thinking about s _teel_ ”.

 

 The Madam walks him out. It’s almost noon. Within an hour or two the girls will begin waking up. But there is still a little time. She comes back inside and sits down on her armchair, in the back shop. The cat immediately pops out of nowhere and cuddles up on her.

She brushes the velvet fur, her mind lost in old memories and recent worries alike.

_Is there a chance I have ever seen the sea?_

“It’s time to tell him the truth, isn’t it Doro?” she murmurs. The cat watch her curious, purring.

“All these years..”

The Madam recalls Roy’s smile before and can’t help a grin herself.

“Well, I guess we can wait a little longer. Give him some happiness. God know if he deserves it”.

Doro meows in agreement.  

 

 

 

 

When Roy comes back home, he finds Edward in the studio, reading a book. He stands up and stretches.

“You didn’t wake me.”

“You needed to rest. Besides, I needed to see my aunt”

“Your aunt?”

“Mhm. I still haven’t had the chance.”

“Since being in hospital?” Edward asks, astonished. He simply nods, getting closer.

“Tell me she beat you. If I were her, I would have been so mad.”

“In her own way” Roy concedes.

Edward looks at him, far too perceptive.

“What’s wrong?”

“I need to tell you something.”

“Tell me”

And Roy would deny it no matter what, but he has been waiting for this and now words seem to come out all in the wrong order.

“While you..well, wait. When I regained consciousness back at the hospital, you wouldn’t wake up and I was so mad, and worried and .. Still. That’s when I realized I could feel you, at some extent. It helped a lot.”

Roy’s words left Edward too shaken to interrupt him or reply anything.

“So I kept talking to you, endlessly, about what we went through during the last months. I thought it could help you to find your way back to me.

And I recalled something. The day you moved in, when I sent you home. Do you remember it?”

Edward just nods to let him continue.

“I gave you the house’s keys. You were about to say something, then you left.”

 It took me a while but..”  and saying so, he puts out something from the pocket of his jacket “ I think I know now.”

He grabs Edward’s hands –are Roy’s hands shaking a little?- and pushes something there.

Edward’s eyes fall on the bunch of keys in his hands. He dumbly keeps looking at it as the other speaks, not letting go completely.

“You’ve never had keys. You left your home, then kept travelling and fighting and..” Roy tries to not lose the thread and breathes in before continuing “and I understand now. Although, this is just half of it. When you moved in, I promised you any help I could give you.” Roy lowers his eyes on their hands, “Instead, you filled a void, in this house and in my heart, that I didn’t even knew was there. Apart from a few trusted friends and my aunt, I’ve never had a reason to let my defenses down ..to open  my heart to someone in the way I did with you.  It should have scared me. But it didn’t. Because you were already there. You have been there the whole time.”

He looks up to look at Edward, who is staring at him with bright eyes, in silence.

Roy realizes to be holding his breath.

 “What I am saying is.. this is your home. Our home. If you want it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s half past six” Fuery makes them notice. As if they didn’t already knew.

“They are an hour late”, Alphonse complains outside the pub.

“Is lateness a habit in Xing, too?” Havoc asks cheerful.

“Unfortunately it is quite popular. Is your brother coming or not?” the Xingan asks, hungry.

“Ling..”

“Oh, I think he definitely is coming..”

“Havoc, _please_.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yes, of course I want it. You bastard”

Edward whispers before sealing the contract with a kiss.

 

 

 


End file.
